Vampire Mk.3 BY385 (N172LA) Down @ KROC 6/6/09, Pilot OK
Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:49 pm
The Mk3 Vampire BY385 (N172LA) operated by Genesee Warbirds of Batavia, NY experienced an engine failure shortly after take off from Rochester Int'l Airport in Rochester, NY this morning and landed short of the runway while trying to return to the airport.
The pilot was taken to the hospital with back pain after being met by airport fire rescue.
More details at: http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S966394.shtml?cat=566
The pilot was taken to the hospital with back pain after being met by airport fire rescue.
More details at: http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S966394.shtml?cat=566
Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:29 pm
Not a great a/c to belly in, being so small, and you arrive first at the scene...
Glad to hear it's no worse.
Glad to hear it's no worse.
Sat Jun 06, 2009 8:31 pm
A little better photo here: http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/ ... Qbfjw.cspx
Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:35 am
That really torques my nutz!!! I clicked on the link and got spammed to the max! So badly that I just spent the last half hour unclogging my computer 
Warning to all those who click on the link...sorry kzollitsch, I am sure you meant no harm by providing that link, but DANG, what a clusterfork!
Warning to all those who click on the link...sorry kzollitsch, I am sure you meant no harm by providing that link, but DANG, what a clusterfork!
Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:51 am
Weird. No problems here.
Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:47 am
worked fine for me too!
Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:54 pm
6trn4brn it sounds like you have one of those trojan viruses that take random pages like that and make them look like phisher sites... I'd recommend updating your virus definitions and running a full system scan. Had it happen to me last year.
Mon Jun 08, 2009 7:50 am
Shame.... 
But lucky the pilot escaped relatively unharmed
The title of world's oldest airworthy jet now passes to the Australia based Metoer F8 VH-MBX (ex-VZ467 ' Winston') with the also 1949 built, UK-Duxford based F-86A coming a close second.
Until the Airacomet at Chino finally gets air under it's wings......
But lucky the pilot escaped relatively unharmed
The title of world's oldest airworthy jet now passes to the Australia based Metoer F8 VH-MBX (ex-VZ467 ' Winston') with the also 1949 built, UK-Duxford based F-86A coming a close second.
Until the Airacomet at Chino finally gets air under it's wings......
Mon Jun 08, 2009 10:21 pm
The link worked fine for me too, but I use Firefox.
That's sad to hear, but I'm glad the pilot escaped relatively unscathed.
Do any airworthy Vampires have "hot" seats? Did this one? Just curious.
What about the operational ones back in the day?
That's sad to hear, but I'm glad the pilot escaped relatively unscathed.
Do any airworthy Vampires have "hot" seats? Did this one? Just curious.
What about the operational ones back in the day?
Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:52 am
None of the operational Vampire marks had ejector seats but the T11 trainer was fitted with them. (The first trainer examples were without them but they were soon fitted as an urgent modification)
Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:50 am
No problems with the links, here.
Actually, from memory (at least) Australian Vampire fighters were fitted (F.B.31) and others retrofitted (F.B.30) with ejection seats. (PS: I'll go check to confirm details!)
However, either way, this kind of incident would, I suspect, NOT be within the survivable envelope for the seats of this period.
Glyn wrote:None of the operational Vampire marks had ejector seats but the T11 trainer was fitted with them. (The first trainer examples were without them but they were soon fitted as an urgent modification)
Actually, from memory (at least) Australian Vampire fighters were fitted (F.B.31) and others retrofitted (F.B.30) with ejection seats. (PS: I'll go check to confirm details!)
However, either way, this kind of incident would, I suspect, NOT be within the survivable envelope for the seats of this period.
Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:57 am
Glyn wrote:
None of the operational Vampire marks had ejector seats but the T11 trainer was fitted with them. (The first trainer examples were without them but they were soon fitted as an urgent modification)
.
Noting James comment regarding Aust built single seat examples I also wonder if its correct for later RAF and UK single seat examples too?
Our museum obtained an ejection seat and instrument panel from a former RRAF FB5 single seat Vampire imported into Australia, and eventually used as a display on a pole, (with these two items removed from the cockpit to lighten its weight on the pole) although I cant easily post the pic here, the seat is clearly a bang seat with the release loop above the pilots head?
regards
Mark Pilkington
Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:41 am
As far as I am aware, the only single seat Vamps to have ejection seats as standard were the Swiss Air Force FB6's.
However, I dont know a lot about the Australian built FB31, so cannot say with any certainty.
The RRAF aircraft were ex RAF FB9's, so I dont think they had bang seats.
Bruce
However, I dont know a lot about the Australian built FB31, so cannot say with any certainty.
The RRAF aircraft were ex RAF FB9's, so I dont think they had bang seats.
Bruce
Tue Jun 09, 2009 2:40 pm
The September 1950 Manual for the Australian Mk 30 doesn't mention an ejector seat, but I see no reason why they couldn't be modified to accept one. I trained on the Vampire T Mk 11 and I know from personal experience that they shoe-horned 2 bang seats in it. (The seats were every bit as comfortable as sitting on concrete). I also had some time in the Vampire 5/9s at Armament school. They never had ejection seats either but the seats were much more comfortable!
Tue Jun 09, 2009 5:58 pm
I talked with the pilot (a coworker) and he ended up with a compression fracture in his back. He sounded pretty good on Sunday.