Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 4:27 am
Any recent information regarding the search for the German aircraft buried / destroyed at this airfield?
I understand that there are some FW-190 and Me-163 parts next door to he hangar where the P-26s replicas are being built.
Saludos,
Tulio
I understand that there are some FW-190 and Me-163 parts next door to he hangar where the P-26s replicas are being built.
Saludos,
Tulio
Re: Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 10:01 am
An FW-190D (long nose) slammed into Freeman Field, Seymour, Indiana, on 22 Sept 1945 after the pilot failed to pull out of a steep, high-speed dive while performing a VIP demonstration flight for an aeronautical academic group.
The pilot performed a steep wing-over maneuver and then went into a dive at the field but he lost some much altitude (because he had not reduced power) that he failed to recover and slammed into the ground in front of the spectators from the Institute of Aeronautical Knowledge. The airplane pancaked into the field at speed estimated to be about "250 and 350 mph."
According to the AAF Form No. 14 Aircraft Accident report : "The airplane was completely wrecked, as were all of its components and most indivdual parts. The only instrument found to be intact was the horizontal stabilizer trim indicator." This airplane was destroyed utterly in the crash.
So, bring your metal detector and a shoe box for the one piece that survived this crash. Good luck.
A detailed summary of this accident can be found on page 1166 of Volume III of
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES 1941 - 1945
Good luck.
TM
The pilot performed a steep wing-over maneuver and then went into a dive at the field but he lost some much altitude (because he had not reduced power) that he failed to recover and slammed into the ground in front of the spectators from the Institute of Aeronautical Knowledge. The airplane pancaked into the field at speed estimated to be about "250 and 350 mph."
According to the AAF Form No. 14 Aircraft Accident report : "The airplane was completely wrecked, as were all of its components and most indivdual parts. The only instrument found to be intact was the horizontal stabilizer trim indicator." This airplane was destroyed utterly in the crash.
So, bring your metal detector and a shoe box for the one piece that survived this crash. Good luck.
A detailed summary of this accident can be found on page 1166 of Volume III of
FATAL ARMY AIR FORCES AVIATION ACCIDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES 1941 - 1945
Good luck.
TM
Re: Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 10:28 am
Quote: " The pilot performed a steep wing-over maneuver and then went into a dive at the field but he lost some much altitude (because he had not reduced power) that he failed to recover and slammed into the ground in front of the spectators from the Institute of Aeronautical Knowledge. "
Was this a direct quote from the accident summary? Thx.
My comment would be that the quote above is in error. Reducing power is not a factor in dive recovery; if fact it aids in dive recovery by maintaining the airspeed needed to acheive minimum turning radius.
VL
Was this a direct quote from the accident summary? Thx.
My comment would be that the quote above is in error. Reducing power is not a factor in dive recovery; if fact it aids in dive recovery by maintaining the airspeed needed to acheive minimum turning radius.
VL
Re: Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 12:15 pm
It's not a quote from the accident report nor is it a quote from the reference work noted, just my quick, sleepy-eyed summarization after rolling out of the rack and dragging myself to a computer.
Here is the quote from the book I was looking at, which is quoting the report.
From the AAF Form No. 14 Accident Report:
"...the airplane performed a manuever commonly known as a wingover into a very steep dive ... and apparently with the power on. The pilot attempted to pull out immediately but the aircraft lost altitude so fast that it was obvious a crash was inevitable."
I'll have to go downstairs and look at the report on the microfilm and see what it says.
Sorry for the mix-up.
TM.
Here is the quote from the book I was looking at, which is quoting the report.
From the AAF Form No. 14 Accident Report:
"...the airplane performed a manuever commonly known as a wingover into a very steep dive ... and apparently with the power on. The pilot attempted to pull out immediately but the aircraft lost altitude so fast that it was obvious a crash was inevitable."
I'll have to go downstairs and look at the report on the microfilm and see what it says.
Sorry for the mix-up.
TM.
Re: Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 12:40 pm
Apology not necessary. Just curious about the comment, if it was from the official report.
Thx again,
VL
Thx again,
VL
Re: Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 4:00 pm
Parts I saw on display consisted of the vertical tail and cockpit pieces from an A or F model, not from the Haynes accident in FE-0119 . Have more parts been discovered?
Gary
Gary
Re: Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 6:07 pm
Thee are constant updates on the Freeman Field search on their Facebook site-looks like they have some hope of finding something this year.....
Re: Seymour, IN
Sat May 28, 2011 6:15 pm
I was told that the pilot in this specific accident, was suffering from a head cold. Don't know if it was a factor in the accident, but it was mentioned to me as an interesting thing to consider.
I saw a few parts of a Me-163 and FW-190 a couple of years ago, when I was in Seymour.
We will have to see, what those now mostly agricultural fields, will eventualy yield
Saludos,
Tulio
I saw a few parts of a Me-163 and FW-190 a couple of years ago, when I was in Seymour.
We will have to see, what those now mostly agricultural fields, will eventualy yield
Saludos,
Tulio
Re: Seymour, IN
Sun May 29, 2011 1:25 pm
DaveM2 wrote:Thee are constant updates on the Freeman Field search on their Facebook site-looks like they have some hope of finding something this year.....
Checked that out a few days ago and did not see anything new from my visit two or so years back. The gents at the museum, who were kind enough to open the doors during non museum hours for me, did say a third dig was in the works. Great bit of history and the men who run the museum are very proud of it and a gracious to visitors. Highly recommend a trip.
Gary