I have for a while felt that a change of emphasis in forced landing teaching is overdue, because far too high a proportion ( prob over 40 % ) of engine failures result in serious injuries or death, due to to high energy impact. In such cases this is usually because control has been lost in the final seconds of flight.

Why? Because the pilot is under great stress, and probably acting below normal competence, and furthermore, flying in an unfamiliar flight regime ie low level, no power, and no airfield. The above Tiger Moth crashed and burned with enough energy to (seemingly) rupture the fuel tank.

If a light aeroplane can be placed in a field in a wings- level attitude, at a reasonable approach speed, it would be very rare for the occupants not to survive. It is the loss of control, stall / spin and falling which kills, I think there should be more emphasis on ‘sod the aeroplane’ point into wind ( minimise energy on touchdown) and put it down wings level, and if it runs into a hedge, or whatever, no matter.

A couple of years ago a Yak 52 out of Boscombe Down with two test pilots on board crashed fatally when control was lost on short finals. They were surrounded by huge fields, but tried to squeeze into a private grass strip which they spotted at the last moment, pulled too hard, stalled, spun.

Mark Levy showed us how, two years ago. Ignoring the lure of the runway just in reach ( perhaps ) he banged the Mustang down in a field, wings level, and now the aeroplane is flying again, and more important by far, so is he.

Given the intensity of Spitfire ride operations, it is very likely that there will be an engine failure on one of these at some stage, and the future of these enterprises will of course be much more assured with a good outcome. Keep the wheels up, place it on the ground, and it should work out OK. Don’t dick around with steep turns at low level. If I were the Ops Manager at Goodwood or Biggin, I would make sure the pilots had sound knowledge of all the fields on the climb- out heading of all the runways including gradient, power lines etc, because those are the ones they may well end up in.

I am reminded of Alex Henshaw gliding down in a Spit during WW2 over the West Midlands, in an area totally build up. He touch down in a row of allotments, and hurtled through fences and sheds, dirt and cabbages flying, but still climbed out OK. As Bob Hoover famously said, fly it as far into the crash as you can.

The Heinkel is being sold on behalf of T.Bianchi ( it used to be suspended in the hangar at Booker until the company closed two years ago) I suspect the asking price has come from TB, whose position on pricing has historically been, let’s say ‘ambitious’ . His full-size Indianna Jones Stampe mock-up was also unsold at £24,000.

Really ? Has anyone EVER paid such a ludicrous sum for a model like that Hurricane ? I have my doubts.

I am very well acquainted with another prop company, who are selling a B-17 model from Memphis Belle for £4,000, and even that seems ambitious.

https://propstore.com/product/memphis-belle/flak-hit-miniature-b-17-aircraft-display-sf/

USAAF B-17 42-31322 ‘Mi Amigo’, Endcliffe Park, Sheffield

On 22 February 1944 Flying Fortress ‘Mi Amigo’ crashed in this public park in Sheffield with the loss of all 10 crew men on board.

The B-17 had been on a raid on the German airfield at Ålborg in occupied Denmark (apparently Ålborg has the unwanted distinction of being the first city in the world to be taken by paratroopers). The airfield was home to Fw 190s and Bf 109s.

These attacked the B-17s overhead, and pursued ‘Mi Amigo’ as bombardier Second Lt Hernandez, aware of the Danish civilians below, was unable to release the bombs due to cloud cover obscuring the target.

Pilot First Lt Krieghauser’s aircraft was badly damaged by the attacking fighters. The bombs were released harmlessly over the North Sea as the B-17 limped back towards base in Northamptonshire.

It is probable the navigation and communication equipment was out of service, and that some of the crew were dead or wounded from the attack. For whatever reasons, ‘Mi Amigo’ ended up 80 miles off course and circling low over the city of Sheffield.

In Endcliffe Park, kids playing football watched as an engine finally cut, a wing dipped and the aircraft spiralled down into a wooded knoll next to the playing field. It is possible First Lieutenant Krieghauser was considering a crash landing on the playing field. This might also account for why some of the crew at least didn’t bail out. Eye witness accounts at the time (and there were many) are extremely harrowing and there seems no point in repeating them here.

The memorial is surrounded by 10 American oaks planted in 1969, one for each crew member.

Cunningham notes that day, 22 Feb 1944, 43 American bombers were lost on operations with the deaths of 430 men.

http://aircrashsites.co.uk/air-crash-sites-5/usaaf-b-17-42-31322-mi-amigo-endcliffe-park-sheffield-2/

The story, from there, is taken up by the United States Air Force historical records kept in Montgomery, Alabama. They recall the “extraordinary achievement” of pilot Lieutenant John Kriegshauser who was awarded a posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross for minimising loss of life. “Displaying consummate skill, he piloted the aircraft back to England,” the official records state. “Although unfavourable weather conditions were prevalent, Lt Kriegshauser attempted to locate a field in which to land.

“Engines became inoperative over a heavily built up area (Sheffield) and he was forced to crash-land.

“An English home was directly in the path of the bomber but Lt Kriegshauser, exhibiting an exemplary devotion to duty, manoeuvred the crippled aeroplane over the dwelling. It crashed in a wood approximately 100 yards away. The courage, coolness and skill displayed by Lt Kriegshauser reflect the highest credit on himself and the armed forces of the US.” One eyewitness to the incident was Brian Jackson, formerly of Redmires Road, Fulwood. He had been standing in nearby Manchester Road when he saw the plane fall from the sky. He ran immediately to the scene.

“The tail plane was jammed vertically upright between two trees; the plane was in two halves having slid down the bank,” he recalled. “The forward section was blazing fiercely.”

As it turned out, it was just one of 43 downed American bombers that day. A massive offensive against German lines had been a relative success but it had come at the loss of 430 young lives.

The first – and perhaps most unusual – memorial service for the crew of Mi Amigo was held that summer, according to Brian.

Another Flying Fortress passed low over Greystones one Sunday evening. “It transpired afterwards,” he said, “that a wreath had been dropped on the site of the crash.”

The men who died:

Lt John Kriegshauser

John Humphrey

Robert Mayfield

Charles Tuttle

Vito Ambrosio

George Williams

Lyle Curtis

Melchor Hernandex

Harry Estabrooks

Maurice Robbins

Memorial for fallen heroes

A memorial service has been held at the site of the Mi Amigo crash since 1970.

That year, the Sheffield branch of the Royal Air Force Association installed a memorial stone in Endcliffe Park honouring the dead. It was funded with donations from Sheffield people.

“We want to provide a plaque in memory of these men who gave their lives so that other people in Sheffield might not die,” said Bert Cruse, the then chairman of the branch.

Wreaths have been laid on the Sunday closest to the anniversary by representatives from the United States Air Force, Royal Air Force and the local community ever since.

This year, the ceremony will take place this Sunday at 1.15pm followed by a service at St Augustine’s Church in Brocco Bank, from 2pm.

https://www.thestar.co.uk/retro/retro-the-10-amigos-who-fell-from-the-sky-1-6448835

The first day of 2019 seems a good time to thank again the stalwart contributors to this widely -enjoyed thread. It must be nearly a full-time job ! Much appreciated.

Having set this one running, I wonder if Mr Wilkinson will return to share his thoughts.

Those Magnificent Men in Their Frying machines

To say ATAC operations have taken a toll on the airworthy Hunter population is something of an understatement.

This total loss is added to other crashes of equal severity on Aug 2017, October 2014, and May 2012.