wingfold in mid air

[+ravenclaw_007 7,576]

how can this happen

 

 

 

[Fubar512 1,350]

how can this happen

 

That's caused by what is known as a "gross error in basic switchology"

[+Typhoid 231]

how can this happen

 

 

 

locking pin isn't seated fully or the guy accidently launched with the wings folded.

 

Happened one night at Miramar when I was the squadron CDO for our E-2 squadron out doing CQ's. Some dumb-@$$ in an A-7 tried to launch without having his wings spread. Unlike the F-8 or the F-4 that can use brute power to generate enough speed to generate enough lift on the remaining small bits of wing to go fly - sorta - the A7 piled into the brush off the end of the departure end and blocked the runway. Right when all my squadron's planes were due back.........

 

fortuneately there were lots of divert fields and a crosswind runway at Miramar that could take us.

 

it was the next day that all squadrons started providing linemen to the final checker team at the hold-short line........

 

[+Crusader 2,078]

lol :D

[+Viggen 642]

Well at night, F-8 Crusader pilots sometimes forgot to put the wings down. (This is true, from a 1960s National Geographic magazine that had a pic of it.) Luckily it had enough wing area. As for the phantom, that is strange. Didn't the Phantom already have a wing that was too small for the weight?

[+drdoyo 2]

As for the F-4, like Typhoid said, brute force. That F-4E is also lightly loaded, and Air Force pilots don't make it a habbit of folding the wings. Ours were only folded when they were brought into the hanger for phase inspections, and even then not always.

[+Typhoid 231]

"The F-4 is a perfect example of aerodynamic theory wherein even a brick can be made to fly if you put a big enough engine on it."

 

that is a rough quote from an F-4 pilot I knew some years ago.

[+Pancho 0]

It's another sim, but I saw this happen once flying with my online IL2 squadron.

 

We were landing at Guadalcanal after a mission, and the CO was lining up in his F4F. I'm behind him in the pattern. Next thing I know, his wings are folding.

 

"Ah, Skip, ya might wanna check your wings ..."

 

Heh. He was trying to open his canopy. Luckily, the wings weren't that far along when he hit the button for unfolding.

 

:)