Honest Sarge I Thought It Was The Flap Handle

[Jack Cook]

P-39Q 54th FS Ladd Field, AK 1943 The large DT saved the a/c.

[Steve Nelson]

Interesing pic. Is that some sort of conformal ferry tank underneath? Also interesting (to us model geeks, anyway)..the flap wells appear to be unpainted. Also, it looks like the insignia has been painted out..or could it have been overpainted with a red star, in preparation for transfer to the Russkies?

SN

[n5151ts]

..first time I ever saw a P-38 being held up on one side by a step ladder.

[Punisher05]

You know...I actually saw a guy do the same thing with a King Air about a year ago. Thought he'd be a hot shot and retract his flaps just as he touched down.

He hit the wrong lever and went spinning off into the safety area.

Oh, and the King Air didn't have a drop tank to spare him the embarassment!

[Stoney]

That really is dumb as the Kingair handles are at least 18" apart.

[Matt Gunsch]

..first time I ever saw a P-38 being held up on one side by a step ladder.

Are you seeing the same pics as the rest of us ? I am seeing a P-39.


As for the flaps being unpainted, they could be yellow zinc chromate, and in the pic it apears to be bare metal.

[Punisher05]

That really is dumb as the Kingair handles are at least 18" apart.

No joke. Fortunately nobody got hurt.

[Swiss Mustangs]

back to topic

the belly tank usually was seen on the P-39Q's en route for Russia, but also was used for deployment of P-39's to other theatres.

the accident depicted in the photo most probably was the one on 16th November 1943 when P-39Q-15-BE s/n 44-2202 suffered a take-off accident at Ladd Field, AK, with pilot Paul L. Collins at the controls

Martin

[Nathan]

Probably easy to do seeing how the flap and gear switch is right next to each other on the P-39. An honest mistake.

[Swiss Mustangs]

@ Steve Nelson

here's a better view of a P-39Q in the same configuration as the bent bird above - ferry-tank and underwing gun-pods.



Martin

[Ken]

back to topic. the accident depicted in the photo most probably was the one on 16th November 1943 when P-39Q-15-BE s/n 44-2202 suffered a take-off accident at Ladd Field, AK

Thanks for the clarification, Martin. Is there a way to access the accident report also? There's a chance that the pilot in question tried to extend flaps and gear after a loss of power during takeoff and touched down before the gear had a chance to fully extend. If that were true, then he's not the dope he's being made out to be.

Ken

[Jack Cook]

You can get it here.
http://accident-report.com/
or here
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/default.htm

[BigGrey]

If that is fuel leaking out of the drop tank, how did he avoid becoming a fireball?

Les

[Lynn Allen]

If that is fuel leaking out of the drop tank, how did he avoid becoming a fireball?

Les

His lucky day....

Lynn