Where You Were Photos…blasts from the past

Whoa… Considering the blow, the cell of the plane was holding up surprisingly well!

Reminds me of one thing.
Does anyone know anything about the F14 rampstrike footage used in the movie “The hunt for Red October”?

That was actually an F9F that crashed on the Midway back in the '50’s- not sure why they swapped the footage, but apparently the pilot survived.

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Yup, here it is in all its glory:

A video comment says this:

This is the famous non-fatal Grumman F9F-2 Panther ramp strike accident that occurred on 23 June 1951, as Cdr. George Chamberlain Duncan attempted landing on USS ‘‘Midway’’ in BuNo 125228, during carrier suitability tests in the Atlantic Ocean. He caught an air pocket off the fantail, causing the fighter to dip below the slope, resulting in his striking below the fantail.The forward fuselage broke away and rolled down the deck, pilot suffering burns. Footage of this accident has been used in several films including “Men of the Fighting Lady”, “Midway”, and “The Hunt For Red October”.

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HOLY HELL! :open_mouth:

Man, I wasn’t prepared for such a sad ending :crying_cat_face:

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Yep, that was the footage in the movie Midway where Charlton Heston went from flying an SBD to crashing in that plane.

Here is most of the crash from a different angle.
https://youtu.be/QVbis75-Fh0

Wheels

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1984 - my Dad pinned on my butter bars -

1986 - Ft Bliss Air Defense School -
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A very special moment! You both look great! :slightly_smiling_face:
(I got to do the same for my son in 2013.)

I didn’t laugh…In DCS I’ve been shot down more than once by a similar group! :open_mouth:

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Were Bill Murray and Harold Ramis there too. :innocent:

Wheels

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Yeah…that was definitely in the “Not Good” category. It is weird how he just sinks at the end. Were you zip lip at the time?

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I don’t think so. We had just left Brisbane the day before after a five day port call (I won’t say liberty port, since we [Reactor] didn’t get much), and they had just started flying again that day.

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My son and I on the day I commissioned him (2013)

…just a couple of dumb intel officers… :sunglasses:

(…I’ll probably be over it in a week or so)

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Lol that goofy gushy proud grin of yours… must’ve been a great moment.

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Way back in a different thread I mentioned I’d post some pics of when I was fortunate enough to have a taxy ride on the Lincolnshire Aviation’s Lancaster “Just Jane”.

Rather than start a new thread and as it was 2004, this seems the right place.

At the time digital cameras were quite a new thing, I was new to photography. I really wish I’d had my smartphone back then.


Avro Lancaster Mk VII NX611 - Just Jane

Climbing on board, the first thing that strikes you, is how tight and cramped it is, considering the relative size of the aircraft. We headed straight forward and worked our way backwards.


Front turret, stood up in the bomb aimer’s position. Two .303 breeches either side of your head. That must of been LOUD, smoky and terrifying to have to pull the trigger.


Lying down in the bomb aimers position looking back up into the turret.


View of my Dad in the pilot seat from the entrance to the bomb aimer’s position.


Stood up where the flight engineer would be looking aft


Starboard engines starting


Looking over the huge starboard wing from the Mid upper turret


A considerably younger, thinner and less grey pic of yours truly looking as happy as a dog with two

We headed back to the rear turret. I could get in (just), but my Dad at 6’ 5" wasn’t going to get anywhere near.


I’m not sure where the interior pics of the rear turret are, but this Mk VII was equipped with two 50 cals, which only came in towards the end of the war.


That pic really doesn’t do the size of the bomb bay justice.


I love the smell of Merlin’s in the morning

I’ve got some video of the engine start from the cockpit (its not great). I can share if there’s interest, but was thinking of Beach’s bandwidth.

Different times back then. The claim culture hadn’t kicked in and liability insurance was way cheaper. Checking the price of the experience I had back then today and I couldn’t afford those prices now.

It really was the most amazing day that I shared with my Dad. It also gave me further respect at the bravery of the young men in WW2.

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That was awesome keets! Thanks for posting that

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Thanks for sharing Keets!

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I’d love to see that. I’ve heard there is quite a famous video host site out there you could link to :wink:

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I’ve been told my kind can’t read. I won’t get over that until I learn how to read…

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You lucky devil!!

My friend recently went for a taxi ride in the mosquito they have there. I’m very envious of all of you!! Great pics dude

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Apologies for the low quality, but this thread reminded me of a few pictures my grandfather had shown me a few months before he died. I snapped some quick shots of them on my laptop (I used that for quick communication with him as he was completely deaf).

The first are of a tornado that hit Ft. Riley where he was in basic training at the time and the aftermath.

This one was during their island hopping in the Philippines.

This was some kind of postcard he got in Japan; he had also bought a doll with it, which is still among my grandmother’s stuff.

As a somewhat related piece, this was a brass P-38 which he gave me years ago, along with some candle holders. He had made these during his time on New Guinea, along with others which he gave away.



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