Spit/Hurri ground collision
Billy wrote:
At last proof the Hurricane is tougher than the Spitfire LOL.
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"Dingo" ? wrote in message
...
This just came my way from a Canadian contact. "Sunday", I believe, refers
to last Sunday, the 27th April.
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Dingo
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There was a low-speed ground collision between a Spitfire and a Hawker
Hurricane at the Lone Star Flight Museum's air show today (Sunday).
According to Tom Gregory, a member of the museum and pilot of several
museum
airplanes, a group had just finished a WWII fighter demonstration of
multiple aircraft: Gregory in the P-47, Ron Fagen's P-38, the museum's
F6F,
Howard Pardue's Bearcat, Bill Greenwood's Spitfire and the museum's
Hurricane when the mishap occurred.
Gregory says everything had gone exactly as briefed including the recovery
of the Spitfire and Hurricane, which were the last two to land in calm
wind.
From the initial review, the Hurricane was at taxi speed when the brakes
failed causing a slow ground loop to the left resulting in the Spitfire
impacting the tail and left wing. The Spitfire ended up on its nose.
Although the Hurricane had recently finished a 16-year restoration,
Gregory
says it had been flawless with no mechanical issues whatsoever. Ray
Middleton who was responsible for the majority of the restoration was on
site and was instrumental in recovering both aircraft without causing
additional damage.
"Even though we brief, execute the brief flawlessly, and do everything we
can, there are still inherent risks and hazards, but thankfully no one was
hurt," said Gregory. The Hurricane will be restored to flying status as
soon
as possible.
Can you imagine spending sixteen long and arduous years rebuilding that
Hurricane to flying status and then, in a few seconds, it is back to the
drawing board.
My sympathies to all involved with the project.
--
Moving things in still pictures!
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