Sea Fury forced landing

[Hagar]

The RNHF doesn't seem to have much luck. Fortunately the pilot is unhurt. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2712450/Moment-historic-Royal-Navy-fighter-plane-crash-landed-thousands-airshow-spectators-suffering-mechanical-problems.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

[Bass]

Oh what a beautifull aircraft.
The white smoke is confusing, but along with the missing gear down it might have a connection!

[wifesaysno]

Oh what a beautifull aircraft.
The white smoke is confusing, but along with the missing gear down it might have a connection!

That could just be the smoke system Bass.

Some of those spray oil into the hot exhaust tubes.

After looking at the video again, the left side seems to have a larger amount of oil on it than usual for a big radial....engine problems? The gear not locking would be hydraulics...so maybe an engine failure of some kind that killed power to the hydraulic system?

[Steve M]

I just watched an episode of Mayday about a DC10 crash at Ohare Airport in 1979. In that case, the white smoke trail turned out to be hydraulic fluid leaking.

[C]

Oh what a beautifull aircraft.
The white smoke is confusing, but along with the missing gear down it might have a connection!

That could just be the smoke system Bass.

Some of those spray oil into the hot exhaust tubes.

Not so on this one - that's another Centaurus up in smoke. Smoke systems on warbirds aren't very common this side of the pond. On the other hand, there is a good reason you'll see most US based Sea Furies have a 4 blade prop instead of the 5 bladed one attached to this aeroplane's Bristol Centaurus engine - they've replaced it with a sturdier and far more common P&W! IIRC the RNHF lost its last 2 seater Sea Fury in 1990 after an engine failure.

After looking at the video again, the left side seems to have a larger amount of oil on it than usual for a big radial....engine problems? The gear not locking would be hydraulics...so maybe an engine failure of some kind that killed power to the hydraulic system?

The gear had already been cycled. He put it down, brought it up again for performance (Culdrose is on top of a hill IIRC), then dropped it at the last possible second.

[expat]

My uncle was at the display and saw this, he is an ex-RAF sootie including piston engines. He tells me it lost power, as seen by the white smoke as the engine tried to eat itself. He says it appeared the aircraft has no power and as such no ancillaries (hydraulic power). The gear was dropped in the last seconds to conserve airspeed but was not locked. It can be seen on this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_sf9OK8P6k

Also the aircraft does not belong to the navel historic flight but was on lone from Navel Aviation.

Matt

[Tug002]

That video brought tears to my eyes , to see that beautifull bird hit the ground like that. Good thing though is that the pilot was not hurt. I looked in the video like the gear didn't lock down.

Keep smiling
Tug

[Fozzer]

A big old motor, that Bristol Centaurus engine!...>>> http://aviationshoppe.com/bristol-centa ... p-219.html

Paul... ...!

[C]

Also the aircraft does not belong to the navel historic flight but was on lone from Navel Aviation.

Matt

It's an interesting arrangement. Tim Manna (Kennet Aviation/Shuttleworth Trust/RNHF benefactor) bought the aircraft several years ago to "loan" to the Flight after VR930 (the long awaited replacement FB11) started being problematic in the engine department. Interestingly, his Seafire, which also suffered a wheels up a few years back, was often seen with the RNHF being flown by John Beattie...

...who baled out of the RNHF Sea Fury FB11 in 1989 when he only got one leg down, and was at the controls when the other RNHF Sea Fury T20, WG655, was written of en-route to the British GP in 1990 after an engine failure.