Things Jack may have seen...

pavulon · 07-28-2010, 06:03 PM

if he hadn't fallen out of the sky yesterday

Talewinds · Talewinds's Garage

Where was this?
Over the weekend I spotted (and heard) two obviously military jets fly overhead, which is rare near me. I'm in Illinois east of St. Louis, but too far north for Scott AFB overlap. Both planes were headed northbound about a minute apart from one another. I didn't see the first one, but anyone who's familiar w/ F4's knows that those things sound like a space shuttle launch. Again, didn't see it, but I'm certain it was a F4.
The second plane I got a good look at and it looked suspiciously like your fourth photo. I was guessing Navy plane from the ground.

pavulon · 07-29-2010, 03:38 AM

It's EAA Airventure week in Oshkosh!!

Les Paul · Les Paul's Garage

Is that a Griffon powered Spit?

pavulon · 07-29-2010, 08:25 AM

It's actually a Seafire. Apparently, the early planes were merlin powered and later versions were griffon powered. I don't recall seeing any information displayed with this beautiful aircraft. I have some other images of it and others at home that I'll attempt to post tonight.

Tim Hancock · 07-29-2010, 09:32 AM

I listened to Jack earlier that morning speaking with Bud Anderson at "warbirds in review" up in the Warbird area. He must have left and was returning. My wife and I were sitting at our plane and saw him about to crash. I got up the second I looked up and saw him wallowing around and my wife and I sprinted west as we were only about 100 yards from where he planted it...... Scary...... The engines continued running for at least 1-2 minutes after the crash. A piper cub had just took off on 18 right as Jack was making a low slow left turn base to 18 right. My "guess" he obviously got too slow and stalled in.

I took these pics from a few rows forward of where we were. The EAA quickly started pushing us back and thankfully our row "78" was where folks were made to stay behind for a couple of hours.

john70t · 07-29-2010, 10:07 AM

Tim, are you going to Thunder over Michigan Aug 7&8?
Thunder Over Michigan - Performers & Attractions

pavulon · 07-29-2010, 10:07 AM

Yes...really scary.

Was his gear up or down?

t6dpilot · t6dpilot's Garage

Hey Tim, not far from where you are parked was a cream and turquoise Twin Beech. Did you see that? That be us...

We had been watching the show from there and walked down towards Warbirds just before that happened. I guess it was right about where the Beech was located. I would not have wanted to see that. He was very, very lucky to have walked away, but I heard he is in ICU and had surgury. Not good. I saw a video of him walking off the plane being helped by emergency workers. They then appeared to lay something on the ground - may have been JR after losing conscious?

Hope he recovers fully.

Tim Hancock · 07-29-2010, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavulon

Yes...really scary.

Was his gear up or down?

To be honest, I could not tell you. I could only see the nose and belly as I looked up after hearing my wife making the comment "what are they doing? A cub just took off". I looked up and over the top of a 170 wing parked in front of us I saw the nose and belly at a high angle of attack and it looked real bad. In that split second, I was out of my lawn chair sprinting left as fast as I could while yelling at my wife to run. I ran about 100 feet and hearing no explosion or mayhem, I turned around and it was over.

Most everyone who was nearby that actually saw it start to finish pretty much claimed he appeared to be making his base to final turn and that he appeared to mush towards the crowd, then recovered slightly then mushed again dropping a wingtip to contact the ground which spun him nearly 180 degrees where it stopped. For the split second I saw him, I would say he was about 75' off the ground nose way high pointed south.

Tim Hancock · 07-29-2010, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t6dpilot

Hey Tim, not far from where you are parked was a cream and turquoise Twin Beech. Did you see that? That be us...

We had been watching the show from there and walked down towards Warbirds just before that happened. I guess it was right about where the Beech was located. I would not have wanted to see that. He was very, very lucky to have walked away, but I heard he is in ICU and had surgury. Not good. I saw a video of him walking off the plane being helped by emergency workers. They then appeared to lay something on the ground - may have been JR after losing conscious?

Hope he recovers fully.

I saw a couple twin Beeches, but am not sure I saw your's. I assume you were near the diagonal taxiway that leads to flightline-ops and the hangar cafe. I was camped in row 78 (halfway between the hangar cafe and the ultralight red barn) one aircraft from the burn line in my Pacer.

Tim Hancock · 07-29-2010, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john70t

Tim, are you going to Thunder over Michigan Aug 7&8?
Thunder Over Michigan - Performers & Attractions

I kind of doubt it.... I am going to a fly-in in Sandusky Ohio Aug 8th and I think I got my fill of warbirds this past week.

t6dpilot · t6dpilot's Garage

Yes Tim, it was the TB near the hanger cafe - the only turquoise trimmed TB that I know of. We had a golf cart and cruised the flight line all the way to the south end and back. Probably saw your Pacer and didn't even know it - whoops.