JohnB wrote:
About the drone theory...
-Would either pilot have been able to see a small drone? (Question based on earlier comment that based on poster's experience, the P-63 may not have seen the B-17 until it was too late).
-If so, would they really take evasive action knowing they were in a formation?
-And if so, wouldn't a warbird pilot simply think "I'm bigger than it is" and hold course, after all, a small drone would not pose much of a threat to a warbird (as opposed to a smaller, more fragile type). Would it be worse than a large birdstrike?
-If the drone was large enough for the pilot to think evasive action was necessary, wouldn't it have been seen by someone (or on video) and it would be known by now?
1. Not if he was looking for the preceding P-51C and the show line. Remember, just like with the B-17, objects on a coliision course tend to have NO relative motion, they only get bigger. Drones are tiny, and usually not colored well for visibility. I have to fly them sometimes for work, and I am pretty sure it would be a real challenge to see and avoid especially if you weren't looking for it.
2. I doubt one would recognize a small drone in time to maneuver.
3. Depends on where it hits.
4. This. The NTSB and Dallas Police and everyone would be talking and looking for the drone operator if a drone was found in the wreckage, or nearby, and there were serious aviation photographers shooting high-res photos near the spot, too, so very, very unlikely we wouldn't have a better "drone" photo by now. That was probably a bird or piece of trash in that video, and not in the P-63's vicinity at all.
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