Mid-Air Collision – World Warbird News https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com The latest in warbirds and historical aviation Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:44:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/WWN-icon-256-150x150.png Mid-Air Collision – World Warbird News https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com 32 32 Video: BBC interviews Rob Davies after Duxford collision https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/12/video-bbc-interviews-rob-davies-after-duxford-collision/ https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/12/video-bbc-interviews-rob-davies-after-duxford-collision/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 21:03:49 +0000 http://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/?p=358 ]]> https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/12/video-bbc-interviews-rob-davies-after-duxford-collision/feed/ 1 Duxford collision: videos and photos https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/12/duxford-collision-videos-and-photos/ https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/12/duxford-collision-videos-and-photos/#comments Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:39:20 +0000 http://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/?p=335

Continue reading]]> Unsurprisingly, the collision between P-51 “Big Beautiful Doll” and Skyraider F-AZDP was filmed and photographed by dozens of people. I’ll be posting some of the most interesting ones here if I have permission to do so, or just links when I don’t.

To start with, here is an interesting video by David Taylor:

The loss of P-51 Big Beautiful Doll at Flying Legends 2011. from David Taylor on Vimeo.

Another video, which shows more of BBD after the impact:

Pictures of Big Beautiful Doll’s crash site on Flickr.

 

]]> https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/12/duxford-collision-videos-and-photos/feed/ 1 Mid-air collision at Duxford https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/10/mid-air-collision-at-duxford/ https://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/2011/07/10/mid-air-collision-at-duxford/#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 16:47:16 +0000 http://www.worldwarbirdnews.com/?p=300

Continue reading]]>

Photo (C) Chris-Sandham Bailey.

I just received word from Gaël, a friend and fellow member of the CAF French Wing that the French Skyraider (F-AZDP) collided with P-51 “Big Beautiful Doll” at the Duxford Flying Legends airshow.  Rob Davies, BBD’s pilot, bailed out while the Skyraider was able to land, minus several feet of right wingtip. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported (aside from the aircraft).

From what can be seen on the videos and descriptions of witnesses, BBD was leading a Vic formation as part of the airshow’s final “Balboa”. BBD broke off, followed a few seconds later by the Skyraider. The Skyraider caught up with BBD, its right wing impacting the lower rear fuselage of the Mustang. The Skyraider lost its right wingtip and went into a roll (probably due to the difference in lift between the two wings) before its pilot regained control and brought it back to a safe landing.

BBD was not so fortunate and Rob Davies quickly jettisoned the canopy, and exited the aircraft only a few hundred feet off the ground. BBD fell in a field and was destroyed. Rob Davies appears to have been uninjured by his ordeal, but was taken to the hospital out of precaution.

Thanks to Chris Sandham-Bailey for sharing these pictures of F-AZDP:

Photo (C) Chris-Sandham Bailey.

Photo (C) Chris-Sandham Bailey.

Luckily, the wingtip was torn away but the aileron remained on the airframe. Some very impressive shots of the Skyraider’s landing are also visible here.

P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll" (Photo Simon (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0))

P-51 "Big Beautiful Doll" (Photo Simon (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0))

 

A video posted on Youtube by MrJonlar shows the collision (best watched watch in hi-res):

 

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