Warbird Information Exchange

I was involved in the original N9M restoration and I'm glad that I got to see it fly for over 20 years. If you had seen it before the restoration I doubt you would have seen it as a viable restoration candidate for even a static display at the time. Nobody is sadder to realize the full impact of the crash, with the loss of both the pilot and plane, than POF.

What aircraft have the POF lost in flying accidents. These are the ones I remember, the RB-51 which was mechanical. The PT-22- unknown. The Hellcat - pilot judgement. The O-47 unknown but I think it was burned in a ground loop and the N9M , unknown.
Aircraft don’t crash because they are extremely rare. They crash for other reasons; mechanical failure, pilot training, pilot decision making, and also pilot’s skill and decision making during the execution of emergency procedures.
Recently I made an error in a flight simulator. First flight in a G200, had a V1 cut ( engine failure) on a foggy , 500’ visibility take off. I knew the right things to do and was doing them when somehow a wingtip on the dead engine side caught the runway surface. Embarrassing, but I got another go at it and learned from the training.

Flying wing ?

Phil

_________________
A man's got to know his limitations.

I suppose someone with deep enough (floor-dragging!) pockets could reverse-engineer a Raiden or three - are there any more components/wrecks existing to work from? Maybe the interest just isn't there like it is for the German types.

_________________

All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)

RB-51 was not a POF aircraft
POF has never had a PT-22 or lost one that I am aware of
Hellcat, scud running by a retired airline pilot and the Reno Air Races safety officer
O-47 landed gear up and caught fire, it is (very) slowly being rebuilt
N9M unknown