Warbird Information Exchange

Gents,

I just came across this on the ASB board:

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... -show.html

Peter

Oh, no, not again! I don't know why the 109 series is so popular around the world? With it's vicious ground handling, even in extremely capable hands such as Eichhorns', I wonder why the 190 isn't more popular?

I don't know how many people know this, but Walter Eichhorn was checked out by the "Ace of Aces", 109 pilot Erich Hartmann (352 kills) back in the 80's.

Never did understand why ol' Willy did'nt change the gear around and make them more like the Hurricane's once this problem was revealed....apparently he got really upset when told of the problem and never accepted responsibility for the flaw...

Glad the damage is light and the bird can be repaired....

M

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Mark Morris

With BF-109s groundlooping is a case of WHEN not IF.

Even "experten" would trash them from time to time, no matter how much experience they had.

That being said... Patch her up and get her flying again.

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The only reasons the airplanes matter is what the veterans did with them... and why.

And the other EADS's 109 made a belly landing one month ago, also with Walter Eichhorn at the control, after a landing gear failure. Sad period for the Eads collection...

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Sorry for my bad English:-(

109, spitfire and Hurricane, although remembered as WWII aircraft had their origins in another era. Biplanes and open cockpits and ground loops were the norm. Of the three, the Hurricane reached developepmental zenith rather early on. The Spit and 109 saw developement thru to the end of the war. The Spit was getting tired, but saw some futher developement still.

the 109's gear was probably never changed because despite the legendary status of "bad gear design", there was no outstanding problem until there were no veteran pilots with the requisite skill and training left to fly her.

IIRC, the B-26 had a bad reutation until the training improved. 109 was suddenly a bad design? Not logical.

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Charles Neely

A clip of the "crash landing" made my ISP's "Raw Video" feature this afternoon. He would've been okay except the right gear leg folded. The left one stayed extended and kept the prop clear of the ground; it was still turning when the bird came to rest, until he switched it off. The collapsed gear appeared to fold neatly into the well. So with luck it's just a scraped wing tip and one gear repair.

August

Pictures of the 109 looking great with the ME-262 over at FC...

http://www.fencecheck.com/forums/index. ... #msg190188

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Zane Adams
There I was at 20,000 ft, upside down and out of ammunition.
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No sooner did I read CH2TDriver's last sentence did the video of "Black 2" pop up on CNN. Syncronicity. I've never seen a groundloop quite like that one. Did the prop receive any damage at all?

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Rob Mears
'Surviving Corsairs' Historian
robcmears@yahoo.com
http://www.robmears.com

Great photos on the Fence check site of the 262 and 109 together in air...can't wait to see something like that stateside...

M

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Mark Morris

Its sad to see another landing problem with a 109. It is so great to see such a historic fighter flying.

Charles, what do you mean by your comment about the Spitfire "getting tired"? The were produced until 1950 and use by the RAF into the late 50s, as well as other countries. On the day WWII ended they were still as good or better than any other piston fighter, except for range. What fighter do you consider was fresher?

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

was the right leg fully down ? looked like it wasnt from the cnn vid .
We had a Viking do the same here , it was back in the air in 24hours!!!

I agree. It looks like the right main wasn't in the full extended position from the CNN video. As soon as weight is put on it it begins to slowly fold.
Jerry

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For those of you who haven't seen the video, here it is:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/ ... ideosearch

How bizarre. Does anybody know how the gear indicators are on the 109? Is it a light in the cockpit, or some kind of mechanical pole out on the wing?

I agree, it looks like the gear was in transit or it never locked down just prior to touchdown.

"This question of yours, I can answer quite easily: I design this aircraft to fly . . . not to roll on the ground. Next question!"

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