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Post by dude on May 1, 2009 12:24:40 GMT 9
 Well its been awhile, so I guess it's time for another story. I was perusing the legacy aircraft from the 48th here on the site. (wanted to see what happened to some of the planes I knew), when I ran across B-model 59-0157. The statement that it crashed short of Peterson Field for a fuel quantity problem is true enough, but as Paul Harvey used to say, "Now the rest of the story." What wasn't mentioned was the plane was piloted by the Air Divison Commander. (I'll leave it up to you math gurus if you want to chase down his name.) I had the opportunity to chat with the Captain that rode in the back seat on the flight. By the way the accident was also featured in an article of Interceptor Magazine under the heading that read something like, "Here's How to Fly a Six if You're a D--b A-s." You see the crash was kind of foretold. Well sort of because just two weeks prior, the same AD commander brought the squadron's other B-model (59-0158) in on a landing; and now I can say as an eye witness that yes with the inappropriate pitch angle it is possible to drag the ass of a 106 down the runway. So what do you get when you drag the tail of a six on the runway? A lot of sparks and no data link antennas. I guess no one had the gumpas to tell the Gen Gen a couple weeks later that he couldn't fly worth a hoot when he wanted to trip out to Colorado Springs. So off they went; and yes they ran out of gas and crashed two miles short of the runway. Interceptor Magazine cited six different things that could have been done to avert the crash. I can't remember them all, but some of my favorites (with a little embellishment) were: 1. CLIMB YOU IDIOT!!! 2. STOP AND GET GAS DUMMY!!! 3. LET THE GUY IN THE BACK SEAT DRIVE!!! Per the good Captain, they ejected so low that they only had about 1 1/2 swings in the chute before they hit the ground. The aircraft burst into flames and the General, who landed closest to the wreckage, was being pulled towards the fire. (Evidently he had also missed the briefing on how to collapse a chute.) Fortunately for him there were two young boys hunting in a woods nearby that saw what was happening. They ran out and collapsed his chute. Thus the General lived to fight another day. Weeks passed before the "official" word came down that blamed the accident on the improper installation of a fuel quantity TCTO. This was of course a fleet wide TCTO, so all the birds had to be checked. Now in fairness I have to say that we flew sixes all the time from Langley to Peterson on a single fuel load; but isn't it interesting that none of the other aircarft had the TCTO improperly installed? Hmmmmm..........
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catman
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Post by catman on Oct 20, 2009 21:33:30 GMT 9
:fire_missle_ani
I had my first and only fighter ride in this ac for load crew of the year .
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Post by dude on Oct 21, 2009 6:45:08 GMT 9
She definitely went before her time. For some reason I remember the two B-models at Langley as being pretty reliable jets, at least from an MA-1 perspective. Anyone else notice any difference between the performance of an A versus B?
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lauren044
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Post by lauren044 on Oct 21, 2009 19:18:50 GMT 9
Dude,
The B model was slightly faster due to the different center of gravity.
Lauren
:us_flag :patriotic-flagwaver :god_bless_usa
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bobcope11
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Post by bobcope11 on Jul 25, 2011 15:18:19 GMT 9
The pilot in command that day Feb 11, 1977, was none other than Brig. Gen Francis A. Humphrey's Jr.  The GIB (guy in back) was Maj. (Tom?) Gerkin, our Ops Officer. And THAT WAS MY PLANE YOU CRASHED ON MY BIRTHDAY DAMMIT! THANKS ALOT! :angry :  Bob |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2011 21:22:46 GMT 9
Did they promote him? Is he now in the White House as one of obummers stiffs, er, um I mean staff?
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Post by Jim on Jul 26, 2011 9:37:06 GMT 9
Dude, The B model was slightly faster due to the different center of gravity. Lauren    Actually the CG were within 1 or 3 inches of each other, (slightly fwd of the mlg) The B model's "Ref Data line" was a plus figure due to the added fuselage length and the A model's "Ref Data line" was a negative figure... B model was fwd of the pitot tube and the A model was aft of the pitot tube........ The "Ref Data line" is a designated point from which the CG of every component not part of the basic wt is located... The 27th had 2 B models; 0900 and I forget the other #, but their CG locations were not the same.. In other words, I had to weigh both of these a/c because neither one was represenative of each other- they weighed within about 100# of each other......... Even tho our A models were all in serial # sequence, I believe out of the 25 a/c we had, I had to weigh 4 a/c to arrive at a representative a/c...... And when going supersonic, there was a fuel transfer that shifted the fuel to control CG change... Anyone know where the fuel came from and where it went??? Because the CG is constantly moving during flight, (not enough to contribute to lack of controlability) CG has nothing to do with being faster...... Because of the extra fuselage length, it was the better "area of rule" that gave the B model a slight edge, but not enough to have used the B to set the still standing world speed record for a single engine fighter. The Old Sarge, Wt and bal NCOIC 27thFIS, 21st TacFtrWg, 460th TacRecconWg, 479th TacFtr Wg and 82nd Pilot Trg Wg (not always in QC when I had the job) 58 years has dimmed my memory somewhat, so I can't give you speeds and gross TO wts etc....... |
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Post by Jim on Jul 26, 2011 9:50:03 GMT 9
The pilot in command that day Feb 11, 1977, was none other than Brig. Gen Francis A. Humphrey's Jr. The GIB (guy in back) was Maj. (Tom?) Gerkin, our Ops Officer. And THAT WAS MY PLANE YOU CRASHED ON MY BIRTHDAY DAMMIT! THANKS ALOT!   Bob Tom is correct.............. Jim |
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Post by Tom Dlugosh on Jul 27, 2011 2:02:39 GMT 9
Jim,
When I got to Loring (not long after you left) the two B models were 59-0149 and 57-2514. I believe the guy in Texas with possibly the only potentially flyable 6's has 149.
Tom
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dnbeven
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Post by dnbeven on Jul 27, 2011 11:54:06 GMT 9
I remember that incident very clearly. Yes, it was Gen Humphrey's, if memory serves me right, I was told it was his 5th crash in a USAF aircraft. To be fair, I believe he was shot down twice as the story was told to me. Yes the TCTO problem was bs in my eyes. And I believe this was the same aircraft that some loader left a door lock in and the front right actuator with the door lock attached went up through the aft cockpit. I did a lot of work on the aircraft because I was a weapons release/gun shop mechanic at the time. No, I didn't leave the door lock on it.
I had a lot of respect for Maj Gerkin. He was telling us young impressionable airmen how he chased a UFO one day and how it out fly the 6. He never admitted it was an alien space craft, but he did say it was the fastest most versatile ship he ever chased.
:fire_missle_ani
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Well its been awhile, so I guess it's time for another story. I was perusing the legacy aircraft from the 48th here on the site. (wanted to see what happened to some of the planes I knew), when I ran across B-model 59-0157. The statement that it crashed short of Peterson Field for a fuel quantity problem is true enough, but as Paul Harvey used to say, "Now the rest of the story."
Bob
