[Serpiko]

While surfing around, I found this picture of a crashed 109, and I took quite some time to figure out HOW could this plane end up damaged in such a way.

Since there's a droptank on the centerline, it looks more like a takeoff accident rather than a landing one. The engine is almost ripped off, so is the tail, which is even twisted upside-down. This kind of damage typically happens when a plane noses over and cartwheels, but in this case the nose shows relatively little damage on the spinner, while prop plades only have their tips bent. Then, gear legs are almost intact, meaning that the accident wasn't caused by a heavy landing or takeoff stall.

So my guess is that this plane suffered an engine failure while speeding up for takeoff. The pilot, trying to stop the plane before the end of the strip, pushed the brakes too much and nosed over, while the propeller was already stuck (hence the little damage on the blades).

What do you think about that?

[Planemad]

Nice find Serpiko

I have moved this to Open Forum,

I feel you are right, but it could of been a landing accident,

The pilot may of been going too fast and over judged the size of the strip and hammed his brake on (like you said) and nosed the ground :roll:

I guess that is the pilot next to the wreck, lucky escape I say 8)

Planemad

[RadPig94]

I feel you are right, but it could of been a landing accident,

The pilot may of been going too fast and over judged the size of the strip and hammed his brake on (like you said) and nosed the ground :roll:

But if the plane was landing with the Prop was spinning and braked and nose into the ground, wouldn't the props be bent if not gone?

[Planemad]

I guess so :roll:

Planemad

[RadPig94]

I guess so :roll:

Planemad

Perhaps it was being transported around the airfield and the Driver turned too hard and/or going too fast and broke off and went by itself for a couple of seconds and when the tailwheel turned and the plane quickly spun around and rolled. that's my wacky theory

[Planemad]

I guess It hit a mine then :lol:

I guess we'll never know for sure,

Lets see what other people say about the pic,

Planemad

[Serpiko]

I had already seen this video featuring real warbirds crash landings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSk6OhZEb8g

The crash at 1:08 shows how a plane can break up that way, but this would also destroy the propeller, unless it's not rotating.

[Fireskull]

... very interesting.


Yeah, must be the very fortunate pilot next to the wreck - good reason to be smiling in the photograph.


German statistics and allied records both seem to agree that the highest number of Bf-109 pilots were lost in crashes at take-off or landing.

I wonder if the Nazis could have won the Battle of Britain with a reasonable number of losses at airfields instead of many ? What about other theatres of operation ?

....hummm.



Fireskull

[Serpiko]

I wonder if the Nazis could have won the Battle of Britain with a reasonable number of losses at airfields instead of many ? What about other theatres of operation ?

How do crash statistics vary in time? Logic suggests that the Battle of Britain should have seen the lowest number of airfield losses, since by then manyGerman pilots were experienced Spanish war veterans, and they could operate from "full size" stable airfields rather than from improvised frontline strips.

It must also be considered that, probably, some of the planes that failed to land because of battle damage were reported as simple "landing accidents", for propaganda reasons.

Nevertheless, it is true that the 109 wasn't renowned for the toughness of its gear.

[Phas3e]

Its a G6AS of 4./Jg27 The man standing nest to it is Alfred Muller.

The wrekage in the background shows this aircraft was a victim of a collision rather than a takeoff accident in which another aircraft taxied into it when it before its engine was started.

A note, Muller was Killed 16 August 1944 and had a total of 16 kills.

[Serpiko]

Didn't notice the debris in the background.

Thx for the info Phas3e!

[Fireskull]

There's not much debris visible - could be from the same plane. It might not even be debris from a crash.

It would be interesting to find detailed crash statistics for the BF-109 throughout the war. My assumption is that the very narrow stance of the landing gear combined with crosswinds, rough airstripes, pilot fatigue, pilot error, and poor visibility at times would keep takeoff and landing crashes at a higher rate than most other aircraft.




Fireskull

[Shakaali]

Good grief.

To me it looks like no accident, but like it had been hit by allied raid while being parked on the field.

[Serpiko]

Good grief.

To me it looks like no accident, but like it had been hit by allied raid while being parked on the field.

Had it been hit by a bomb blast, or strafed, wings should show much more damage too.

[Shakaali]

Good grief.

To me it looks like no accident, but like it had been hit by allied raid while being parked on the field.

Had it been hit by a bomb blast, or strafed, wings should show much more damage too.

Yes, but it could have been blown away by a blast wave.