Warbird Information Exchange

I was talking to a buddy tonight who knew Pete pretty well. Anyway, I got a story of him flying an airshow mid 70's at Ft. Lauderdale Exec. Story is that he was lead in N11T and had either 3 or 4 other Mustangs with him. They went out to hold while some other acts performed and then got the call to come buzz the field. They proceeded inbound, and about the time they started their west pass down the runway, the show boss called and asked where they were. Pete replied flying down the runway. On the opposite end, was a 727 or something similar that had just started a take off roll, and realized that the airplanes coming at him were in his way. The 727 aborted. About that time the show boss came back to Pete and said well, where are you we are looking everywhere.

Anyone remember this story? Anyone know who was up flying with him?

Also, does anyone know the year he was lost in the 38? I want to look up the NTSB report as my buddy swears it was the hydraulic boost that did him in.

dave

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=42992&key=0

This the one ?

The accident was August '78 and the P-38 was N3005/N38PS/44-24743.

This is the one, but not detailed:

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=39595&key=0

I remember hearing that story but I can't recall where.

Eric

_________________
The air resounds from the Rolls-Royce roar!
To an enemy the warning is dire: here only eagles soar,
and the last thing he'll see is a mirrored Spitfire!

It was August 1978. Unfortunately there are no details on it crash. I do know that he had done an airshow in Virginia and was on the way to Oshkosh with his wife sitting behind him.

My buddy swears that the boosted ailerons were to blame, and thinks that Pete was too low to recover when he got a hard over.

Anyone remember the story about the airshow event?

Last question for now. Was N3005 still a part of the Don Plumb estate when Pete was flying it?

dave

That's the original "Scatterbrain Kid" owned by Revis Sermin (sp).
It was crashed by a pilot on his 1st or 2nd flight.

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!

According to my book, registered to Pete Sherman on 22/7/78 - that was brief... Previous owner was Colonial Flying Corp Museum of Toughkenamon, PA, between 72 and 76.

Ah, Don Plumb...

I happened to notice a while back that Don Plumb and another pilot were both killed in separate P-51D accidents at Big Spring, Texas on the same day in October 1975. Curious as to why, can anyone enlighten me please?

Regards

Treadders

But the reports is listed as 1974?

Both were flying together scud running.

Did Plumb own N500R at some point?

Was the Colonial Flying Corp. Museum the Dupont Family?

Jim

Don Plumb & John Bolton were killed flying together, going home from the CAF Airshow??!!

_________________
Don't touch my junk!!

Lex DuPont operates his FM-2 from the same airfield as the Colonial Flying Corps. I don't know his exact relation with the museum, but it's a reasonable first guess that he's involved with them. I do not know if any other DuPont heirs are involved.

Was the P-38 that crashed in 1978 a two-seater with a "double-bubble" canopy? I saw a P-38 that landed in Hopkinsville, KY and spent the night there for maintenance around 1977 or 78 and it had "Warbirds Of The World" painted on a tail boom. A few years ago I swear I saw the same plane in a rerun of "Baa Baa Black Sheep." Can anyone help connect the dots for me?

Dave G

I believe that the two seat P-38 from "Baa Baa Black Sheep" was Doug Champlin's P-38M before the second seat modification was removed.
Jerry

The story about the Mustangs buzzing the wrong field is in Martin Caidins book RAG WINGS AND HEAVY IRON. I found it the most entertaining part of the whole book.

Thanks for the tip on the Caidin book, I will have to look it up.

As to the 38. My buddy said that the airplane was very uncomfortable to sit in the back. He told me he helped put the seat belt in, and basically you were sitting on the wing, had your legs around the pilot seat, and put your chin on the pilots shoulder so you could have a decent way to hold your body in an uncomfortable position. No mod to the airframe externally.

dave