On 23 Jun 2004 21:45:09 -0700, (Jim Thomas) wrote:

My favorite separation mishap story is of a flight test vertical dive
bomb release from an AD Skyraider by (IIRC) Douglas test pilot Bob
Rahn. The bomb, being slicker than the Spad, flew forward through the
prop and wiped it out. A maximum dive angle restriction for bomb
release became a permanent restriction in the flight manual.

Jim Thomas

The old SBD used a "trapeze" release to cure the same problem.

Al Minyard