Folded wing tip question

"Yofuri" wrote in message
I can confirm a visiting A7E doing it out of the fuel pits at NAS
Miramar in that era. He was doing fine until he tried to turn downwind
and one panel separated. The only injury was superficial glass cuts to
a toddler in a house on the lip of a canyon when wreckage shattered the
patio door. Rick

Excuse me, but on rereading today, now I am unsure of the
outcome you describe. Please clarify for this ex-grunt.
Did pilot eject and plane crash?
Or, did he land with one missing panel (panel hitting house)?

(and thanks for everyone helping out on this thread)

No, cuz the link is a picture of an F-8 Crusader . . . not an A-7
Corsair II. They look similar but the link is a Crusader. Look at the
radome and the profile of the vertical stabilizer and you will know
right away..

Blue skies

John

a425couple wrote:
"Yofuri" wrote in message

I can confirm a visiting A7E doing it out of the fuel pits at NAS
Miramar in that era. He was doing fine until he tried to turn downwind
and one panel separated. The only injury was superficial glass cuts to
a toddler in a house on the lip of a canyon when wreckage shattered the
patio door. Rick


Excuse me, but on rereading today, now I am unsure of the
outcome you describe. Please clarify for this ex-grunt.
Did pilot eject and plane crash?
Or, did he land with one missing panel (panel hitting house)?

(and thanks for everyone helping out on this thread)


Outer wing panel broke off in flight; pilot ejected. Fuselage impacted
canyon wall, debris went over the lip of the canyon, shattering back
windows and patio door of a residence.

Rick

"...telltale red pins also became grey, and no one noticed...."

Reminds me of our loss of a VF-24 pilot and plane (North American FJ-3) off
the U. S. S. Shangri La in the East China Sea. Pilot had spread the wings
but did not completely LOCK the wings. The wing fold pins were seated
keeping the folded outboard sections in place, but the cockpit lock handle
was not completely seated in the detent. The pilot had NO aileron throw but
apparently did not know it. The plane went off the catapult, began a slow
left roll and went in abeam the ship. Happened on 23 December 1956. Always
hoped the Navy did not notify his wife and two little kids until after they
had enjoyed their Christmas.

WDA

end

wrote in message
oups.com...
I read the USAF Safety TWX on an incident where a 57th FIS F4E ;aunched
out of Rekyavik with his wings unlocked. When the bird rotated the tips
went vertical and with the sudden shift of the now modified aero center
the bird nosed up steeply. The RIO made the appropriate comment while
the AC rolled the plane inverted to get the nose back down. At the
horizon he rolled right side up and still in burner found that at 300
the tips would lie flat. (Note that USAF F4Es do not have cockpit-
folding controls, - it's all done outside, on the ground, of course.)
They punched the tanks and dumped fuel and determined from a little
test flying that they could make an approach. I forgot the exact speed
but it was doable.
So they came in flat and fast, planted the bird on the runway, slowed
enough to pop the chute and stopped okay. The WingCo had the usual talk
with the crew. He posited that the attaboy canceled the aw **** and the
crew agreed.
(A little careless maybe but not stupid). The mishap occurred because
the bird had just been painted sea grey over the usual slime and
sewage; the wings being unlocked, the telltale red pins also became
grey, and no one noticed they were sticking up when the bird was towed
from the hanagr to teh flightline - or during preflight . . . This
happened sometime around 1972-1973 because I was stationed at Bitburg
AB Germany when I read the TWX report.
Walt BJ ret ftr plt

I posted a photo I scanned from one of my books of the F-4N airborne with
the wings folded, as well as the two photos of the 57FIS F-4E I found on the
web. You'll find them on alt.binaries.pictures.military
Scott Wilson

wrote:
I read the USAF Safety TWX on an incident where a 57th FIS F4E ;aunched
out of Rekyavik with his wings unlocked.

Rekjavik? Had he lost his way? Keflavik just around the bay.

Been some retouching to the image as well, sky has grain and then some
"smeary" areas.


"Yofuri" wrote in message
...
a425couple wrote:
"Yofuri" wrote in message

a425couple wrote:

"Yofuri" wrote in message

I can confirm a visiting A7E doing it out of the fuel pits at NAS
Miramar in that era. He was doing fine until he tried to turn downwind
and one panel separated. The only injury was superficial glass cuts to
a toddler in a house on the lip of a canyon when wreckage shattered the
patio door. Rick

Thank you very much. Think that is the one pictured in the link?

Could you repeat the link? I missed it. Rick


Sure A good poster over on s.m.n. gave me this link, "
http://www.vmf235.com/f8_wingsfolded.jpg not F-4 but if I read the
photo credit right is Marine. You have to careful with Google refs ---"
Anyone know if this photo is real, and what outcome was?


That's a Marine F8. The one I knew of was a VA-25 A7E.

Rick

"John" wrote in message
oups.com...
No, cuz the link is a picture of an F-8 Crusader . . . not an A-7
Corsair II. They look similar but the link is a Crusader. Look at the
radome and the profile of the vertical stabilizer and you will know
right away..

It always irritates me when folks consider an A-7 to be similar to an F-8.
That's like saying a burro is similar to a thoroughbred.

R / John

Sorry. Senior moment, to which I am entitled by seniority. Kef it was.
Walt BJ

Don't be too sure your senior! I just happened to be there!

wrote in message
oups.com...
Sorry. Senior moment, to which I am entitled by seniority. Kef it was.
Walt BJ