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WWII-era fighter plane crashes in Texas during re-enactment show (PHOTOS)

JacksinPA

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https://www.rt.com/usa/444287-fighter-plane-crashes-texas/

A vintage fighter plane that saw action during WWII and the Korean War crashed into a parking lot during a re-enactment show in Texas. Two people died in the incident.
The P-51 Mustang went down on Saturday in Fredericksburg, Texas, during the WWII Pacific Combat Program event organized by the National Museum of the Pacific War. The museum later confirmed on Twitter that both passengers on the plane, one of which was a military veteran, had been killed.
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There are people & museums that collect vintage military aircraft & then there are people who insist in flying them, either for sport or for demonstrations at air shows, as in this case. I have a basic problem with the people that fly these aircraft because the number remaining is getting smaller. I feel that they should all be in museums for the enjoyment & edification of current & future generations.
 
I don’t know. It depends on what is preferable to us: a handful of incredible experiences or a plethora of mediocre experiences.
 
Tragic event.

RIP....
 
There was a thread asking if one would take a ride in a classic plane. I was all, "these things are meticulously cared for, every inch, there's no risk of problems". Gotta remember to add, to most posts, "but, of course, anything can happen".
 
Love seeing the old warbirds fly
A B25 came into my local airport the other week.
 
https://www.rt.com/usa/444287-fighter-plane-crashes-texas/

A vintage fighter plane that saw action during WWII and the Korean War crashed into a parking lot during a re-enactment show in Texas. Two people died in the incident.
The P-51 Mustang went down on Saturday in Fredericksburg, Texas, during the WWII Pacific Combat Program event organized by the National Museum of the Pacific War. The museum later confirmed on Twitter that both passengers on the plane, one of which was a military veteran, had been killed.
============================================
There are people & museums that collect vintage military aircraft & then there are people who insist in flying them, either for sport or for demonstrations at air shows, as in this case. I have a basic problem with the people that fly these aircraft because the number remaining is getting smaller. I feel that they should all be in museums for the enjoyment & edification of current & future generations.

As long as examples remain in museums why should they be banned from use?
 
Too bad we lost another one.
 
There was a thread asking if one would take a ride in a classic plane. I was all, "these things are meticulously cared for, every inch, there's no risk of problems". Gotta remember to add, to most posts, "but, of course, anything can happen".

I flew in a B-17 a few years ago. Those were questions I didn't want to ask; I just assumed the answer was yes.
 
I flew in a B-17 a few years ago. Those were questions I didn't want to ask; I just assumed the answer was yes.

Maybe meeting the owner and mechanic would help, but what if it doesn't.
 
https://www.rt.com/usa/444287-fighter-plane-crashes-texas/

A vintage fighter plane that saw action during WWII and the Korean War crashed into a parking lot during a re-enactment show in Texas. Two people died in the incident.
The P-51 Mustang went down on Saturday in Fredericksburg, Texas, during the WWII Pacific Combat Program event organized by the National Museum of the Pacific War. The museum later confirmed on Twitter that both passengers on the plane, one of which was a military veteran, had been killed.
============================================
There are people & museums that collect vintage military aircraft & then there are people who insist in flying them, either for sport or for demonstrations at air shows, as in this case. I have a basic problem with the people that fly these aircraft because the number remaining is getting smaller. I feel that they should all be in museums for the enjoyment & edification of current & future generations.

And a Mustang too. Poor guys; probably a paid ride. That's so sad.
 
Maybe meeting the owner and mechanic would help, but what if it doesn't.

I just told myself everything would be ok and strapped in...lol.
 
There was a thread asking if one would take a ride in a classic plane. I was all, "these things are meticulously cared for, every inch, there's no risk of problems". Gotta remember to add, to most posts, "but, of course, anything can happen".

I would be slightly apprehensive riding in a 75-year airplane.
 
As long as examples remain in museums why should they be banned from use?

Safety, as in this case. Warbirds are classified as EXPERIMENTAL by the FAA. Would you fly in a 75-year old experiment?
 
Too bad we lost another one.

I’m wondering if VSEC or AIRT has services for personal hobby aircraft. If they don’t they should.
 
They are two corporations who maintain aircraft for flight services for Fedex and the DoD

I bet that would pricey as hell. But, if you can afford a WW2 aircraft, you oughta be able to afford the best maintanance there is.
 
Things fail and people die in new planes, too.


**** happens, and people die.

What next, we shouldn't drive classic cars?
 
I would be slightly apprehensive riding in a 75-year airplane.

Far more likely to die in your morning commute, or during dinner. Or while you sleep.
 
Safety, as in this case. Warbirds are classified as EXPERIMENTAL by the FAA. Would you fly in a 75-year old experiment?

There are 100 year old "EXPERIMENTAL" aircraft. Would I fly one. OH HELL YES.

I have survived a near accident in a CH-46 already. And five motorcycle accidents. A couple of cars crashes. A near crushing by a fuel tank. Stuck without transportation in a Naval Bombing range, in summer, in the desert. And a couple of more "OMG I thought I was going to die" moments.....

I think "He died at the controls of a vintage WWI SPAD" sounds a lot better than "he died in his sleep".
 
I would be slightly apprehensive riding in a 75-year airplane.

I hope you don't think these aircraft were just sitting around for 75 years. Just as people fully restore vintage cars to like or better than new, so do pilots with aircraft.

There are well over 100 Mustangs flying in the US, I have seen numbers stating at least 150 plus there are others in other countries. They are great planes but your average pilot can not just jump into one and take off in one, those engines are powerful. It takes a fair amount of training to safely handle one, once trained in them they are as safe as other aircraft to fly. I see that this one was a two-seater, that is basically a trainer version, student with trained pilot on board. Not saying a student was trying to fly this one, most likely another pilot or friend along for the ride, details will come after much investigation.
 
I hope you don't think these aircraft were just sitting around for 75 years. Just as people fully restore vintage cars to like or better than new, so do pilots with aircraft.

There are well over 100 Mustangs flying in the US, I have seen numbers stating at least 150 plus there are others in other countries. They are great planes but your average pilot can not just jump into one and take off in one, those engines are powerful. It takes a fair amount of training to safely handle one, once trained in them they are as safe as other aircraft to fly. I see that this one was a two-seater, that is basically a trainer version, student with trained pilot on board. Not saying a student was trying to fly this one, most likely another pilot or friend along for the ride, details will come after much investigation.
It may have been a cavalier mustang, ie a modified single seater without dual controls and not one built as a trainer from the start.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalier_Mustang
Article doesnt really say one way or another

Either way it is a sad loss
 
I hope you don't think these aircraft were just sitting around for 75 years. Just as people fully restore vintage cars to like or better than new, so do pilots with aircraft.

There are well over 100 Mustangs flying in the US, I have seen numbers stating at least 150 plus there are others in other countries. They are great planes but your average pilot can not just jump into one and take off in one, those engines are powerful. It takes a fair amount of training to safely handle one, once trained in them they are as safe as other aircraft to fly. I see that this one was a two-seater, that is basically a trainer version, student with trained pilot on board. Not saying a student was trying to fly this one, most likely another pilot or friend along for the ride, details will come after much investigation.
The Germans when evacuating their mechanics from the Russians would cram five men into the tails of their 109’s
 
The Germans when evacuating their mechanics from the Russians would cram five men into the tails of their 109’s

A friend of mine, who was a ME109 pilot in the war, once told me about his experience at seeing a captured P-51. Said they were amazed at the amount of space in the cockpit, his comment was you could hide in there. He said getting into the 109 was like putting on a glove by comparison.
 
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