Hendon Part II

[Hagar]

It's real enough. I believe that "Black 6" was the only airworthy genuine Bf 109G-2 Trop anywhere in the world. It took many years of hard work by a small dedicated restoration team to get it flying. Then some idiot went & crashed it during its final display season. Fortunately the pilot survived unhurt athough the aircraft ended up on its back & he couldn't get out. To his credit he refused to allow it to be lifted to rescue him without the proper equipment to avoid further damage.

PS. Sorry Charlie. All due respect to Sir John Allison but I believe this was simple case of pilot error. Pilots entrusted with these rare birds should be aware of their responsibilities & look after them like gold dust.

PPS. A very sad sight. More like it here. http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/bf109g2.html

[JerryO]

This may explain the paint-job on the Me-109:
http://cosmos.oninetspeed.pt/dak/dak/me109.htm

                             Jerry

[C]

PS. Sorry Charlie. All due respect to Sir John Allison but I believe this was simple case of pilot error. Pilots entrusted with these rare birds should be aware of their responsibilities & look after them like gold dust.

You'd think an Air Marshal would do a better forced landing... At least he was kind in that he didn't let the crash crews cut him out of the aircraft - he waited till it was lifted up again...

[ozzy72]

I reckon the only reason he waited for the proper lifting gear was so that there were enough people around to protect him from being lynched

[HawkerTempest5]

As I understood it, Black 6 had fluid leak of some kind towards the end of its display. Still should have been able to get it back down safely though. I saw it fly once at Duxford.
More great shots Ozzy old chap.

[Hagar]

From the accident investigation report I read it was finger-trouble. The Bf 109 has a notorious fuel switch (I think it's the fuel switch) that must be positively positioned or it cuts off the fuel. I believe the smoke was caused by lack of fuel, not a fluid leak. I'm sorry but I think a display pilot of his experience should have know that. I'm glad he was unhurt (except for his pride) but I will never forgive him. I can only imagine what the restoration team thought about it.

[ATI_7500]

I think british or other foreign pilots and german aircraft,especially a Bf-109, is no good combination. It's a miracle that Sir Allison even got it off the ground.

[beaky]

Very nice photos... I've got to visit someday.Very sad about that 109; I've heard they are very difficult to land, even under normal conditions. I think I have an idea how to get that Merlin: Two men disguised as a pantomime horse could enter the museum quietly with a dolly and a horse blanket; quickly put the engine stand on the dolly, cover it with the blanket, and walk it out between the two halves of the horse. It can't miss! Who would suspect a pantomime horse?

[Omag 2.0]

You are a very sick man Rottydaddy!  ;D

[ozzy72]

Nice plan rottydaddy

[terbert]

Hi all,

This 109 is, as Doug says, 'Black six' I have the video of this aircraft during its rebuild. It was found in the desert where it was found abandoned. It was used for 'evaluation' purposes, firstly, then later when in great disrepair, was rescued by a couple of RAF chaps, who carted it around with them to various bases over a twenty-odd years, until it ended up at Duxford. One point of interest, is that when the D/B engine was sent to R/R for repair, they admitted they could not match the tolerences of D/B!!!!!


Tony

[C]

I think british or other foreign pilots and german aircraft,especially a Bf-109, is no good combination. It's a miracle that Sir Allison even got it off the ground.

The worlds most current Bf109 pilot (until last year at least) is a serving RAF Flt Lt I believe. The fact that the aircraft was operated faultlessly by a small cadre of aircrew for 7 or 8 years without incident pays testament to their professionallism and skill (I think there were 4 of them - I can think of 3 but not the fourth - very frustrating).

It was just unfortunate the engine problem occured when it did - on another day maybe Sir John would have made a perfect forced landing (he didn't do that bad a job that time). It's also unfortunate to think that if Cambridgeshire council had paid for the M11 to go a mile or so east they could have kept the original runway length at Duxford!

Charlie

[terbert]

Hey, Rottydaddy, come off it!!!!!!

If you think I am walking into Hendon bent over with my head within close proximity to Ozzy's a**e, you must be living on another planet!!!!!!!!!    ;D


Tony

[Felix/FFDS]

[quote]

Hey, Rottydaddy, come off it!!!!!!

If you think I am walking into Hendon bent over with my head within close proximity to Ozzy's a**e, you must be living on another planet!!!!!!!!!

[Hagar]

[quote]Oh?