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My favorite P-40!

Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:27 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqLAM-z0jyc
Last edited by Warbird Kid on Mon Feb 24, 2014 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:34 pm

Why must every P-40, regardless of model, be painted up in a sham AVG scheme?

Definitely NOT my favourite P-40! :(

Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:59 pm

While I agree with you, at least this one is nicely done, i.e. not super shiny, and it looks pretty accurate to my eye. Let's face it, P-40's and shark's teeth go together like '69 Chargers and Confederate flags, and that's not something that's likely to change anytime soon. Not that I'm justifying it mind you.

Is that is the late Mr. Ethell in the cockpit?

cheers

greg v.

Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:11 pm

That particular Hawk happens to be my favorite as well...

As to the never-ending discussions about sharksmouths and AVG schemes... well... to each their own.

I dunna care how it's painted... if it's a P-40, it's okay by me...

gregv wrote:Is that is the late Mr. Ethell in the cockpit?

Yessiree... this clip is from the 'Roaring Glory' series. This particular installment is one of the few old VHS tapes I still have left in the collection... although it needs replacement. Musta watched it a gazillion times, 'tis good stuff.


Fade to Black...

Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:18 pm

Is that is the late Mr. Ethell in the cockpit? The "Late" Mr. Ethell....?? Man I know I've been out of circulation for a couple of decades....someone do please fill in this frickin gap...........

Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:23 pm

Jeff was killed in a P-38 crash in, IIRC, 1997. :(

???

Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:46 pm

Jeff was killed in a P-38 crash in, IIRC, 1997.

That was a fun day in Tillamook :?

P-40

Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:15 pm

This kittyhawk was owned by Doc Anderson when this video was made.Jeff was landing this bird and pulled the gear handle thinking he wa retracting the flaps.Needless to say the tail wheelretracted and then the right main which clobbered the right tip and wrinkled the top wing skin.Not to mention a prop strike which later was the cause of an engine out landing and substantial damage to the airframe.Jeff claimed there was a massive hyd. leak and had to leave to catch a flight.The story on the 38 crash was he ran the front tanks dry and then spun in. Such a shame.

Re: P-40

Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:26 pm

hang the expense wrote:This kittyhawk was owned by Doc Anderson when this video was made.Jeff was landing this bird and pulled the gear handle thinking he wa retracting the flaps.Needless to say the tail wheelretracted and then the right main which clobbered the right tip and wrinkled the top wing skin.Not to mention a prop strike which later was the cause of an engine out landing and substantial damage to the airframe.Jeff claimed there was a massive hyd. leak and had to leave to catch a flight.The story on the 38 crash was he ran the front tanks dry and then spun in. Such a shame.


Is there something I'm reading into this? Was this fellow not such a great pilot? Not trying to disrespect his memory, but what am I reading here?

????

Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:11 pm

Has for the P-38L. Jeff didn't get a proper checkout if one at all and wasn't legal in the a/c. His overeagerness, fatigue and ego killed him.
I have heard from a number of people that he was marginal in the big stuff. But that is second hand info. :idea:

40

Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:54 pm

Correct on all accounts.

Jeff

Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:59 pm

Jack, I don't agree with you about Jeff Ethell. First let me say he was a friend, I consider him a very good person, so maybe I am biased in his favor . But there is one thing I know that some, if not all of his critics may not; I flew with Jeff. Not just saw him fly or in the same airshow, but in the same plane. At a Ca. show, Madera or Minter Field, I did a dual flight with Jeff in my Spitfire. He flew just fine in the rear seat and the first roll he did was as good as anyone I've flown with. I also flew in formation next to Jeff in a 51, as well as in many shows. I never saw any problems with his flying. As for as ego, every pilot has some in the sense that you want to be good and think you can do it. But of all pilots, as for as I knew I NEVER saw him as the braggard type too good to listen or learn.
As for as not getting a P-38 checkout, I think that is not really true. There are no dual control P-38s, so there is no dual checkout. Anyone, whether it is a low time pilot or Howard Pardue can only go the same route, that is to read the pilot manual, sit in the cockpit and get familiar. You may watch others fly one and/or talk to experienced pilots in one. But there's no simulator and no dual time. I don't know who Jeff talked to, but his Dad had flown them and it is reasonable to believe he got that advice and more, perhaps from Lefty or Bill Ross. What else would you have done? At the time of the accident Jeff had already flown a 38 successfully, even made a video on it. He had a much of a checkout as anyone on a one seat plane. There no squawking from the owner until assets were lost.
Now was he legal? Maybe not, as I understand it he had unlimited piston rating, also a B-25 rating and flew/owned a D-18 twin. But since a 38 is heavy he needed a type rating, which I guess he did not have. Did this cause the accident or is it more of a legal catch? I have heard an experienced check pilot say Jeff needed a heavy twin checkout. This pilot could legally give it to Jeff. But this pilot has zero P-38 time, so maybe it would only be some B-25 or similar, which Jeff already had. This checkout would have made it legal, and might have made Jeff more current, but I don't think it was the difference in the accident. Did Jeff make a mistake, probably. I don't agree with the idea that he was a bad pilot, many other people trusted him to fly their planes. For example he flew Rudy Frasca's Mk XVIII, and well. Above all, I thought Jeff was good people.
Last edited by Bill Greenwood on Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:19 pm, edited 3 times in total.

Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:59 pm

Is that the same P-40 that is in the San Diego Air Museum now??

TIA,

Lynn

Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:27 pm

No, the one mentioned above is this one:
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/p40regis ... ak940.html

Different bird. And i do think this particular AVG scheme when she was with Mr. Anderson was the tops! She just looks right! :? :)

Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:15 pm

I agree with Jack on this... I'm sorry Bill, but Jeff did not have permission from the owner of the P-38 to fly his airplane, that call was made from another individual. Period. I do not think it's fair to imply that the owner did not gripe until Jeff destroyed his airplane. Bruce (owner) held onto those projects for decades and loved them dearly. The deal was made to get two examples in the air (not going into specifics) and Jeff was totally out of line to fly Bruce's P-38 without his permission. What if one of us took your airplane out for a spin? (no pun intended) without your permission?
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