Like Legends 2011 again, the audience clapping, the curtain coming down (metaphorically) and then ‘it’ happens, though this time the Mustang is in one piece, and not a shattered heap.
It was a very chilling sight to see the P.51 descending fast behind the ARC hangar, parallel to the motorway. The flighter had dropped out of its flight of three on downwind leg, and angled in for a immediate landing, gear down. On an angled base leg, the rate of descent was too high, with still another 90 degree turn needed to line up and you could see the instant decision to bin the airfield, break to the right instead, and drop into the field the other side of the M11.
It was a life- saving move made with a cool head, and a infact you might say Duxford ( and the UK air show scene) dodged a bullet today, as a less experienced pilot would have tried to pull hard round the turn, almost certainly have spun in, very likely onto the M11, which was packed with stationary traffic heading south. It may sound overly dramatic , but that is the reality.
Experience and currency saved the day, thank God.
Sign In
