https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R5qEhY3XD6Q
A favourite plane, this is the only one flying, until this happened. Used to be in Red Bull livery then returned to Navy livery. The cockpit is not on centerline, it's on the port side of the fuselage, the radar guy was down in the body (the hole) on the starboard side next to the pilot. de Havilland's first jet was a twin boom, so they just kept doing that (Venom, Vampire, Sea Vixen).
Looks like the drop tanks took most of the damage upon landing so hopefully she can be repaired to flying condition. https://theaviationist.com/2017/05/29/new-video-shows-the-last-sea-vixen-jet-performing-a-belly-landing-at-yeovilton/ Interesting to note she did her first flight on the day I was born.
Beautiful design to that jet. Found these pictures on the web. . Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm a bit surprised they didn 't have a mechanical backup; even gravity might have worked. Considering the rarity of the aircraft, I'm certain it will be repaired; the only question is whether it will fly again.
No cable used, unfortunately, which could have made that landing shorter and caused less damage. Of course if the gear was inop, the hook may have been as well.
Terry, is there a good reason they didn't choose to put it down on the grass alongside the runway. I'd think it would reduce the chance of fire., possibly less damage etc. Never mind. Just rewatched the recording. It wasn't exactly obstruction free.
That, plus I'm thinking the fire and emergency vehicles cannot get close to the plane on the grass if the ground is soft and wet. Maybe also the possibility that the nose or an external tank (those are not drop tanks they said on another forum) could dig in and flip the plane. I had the same thought.
In general, for any large jet aircraft, you are better off on a runway, especially if you have a hook and can take an approach end barrier/cable (BAK 9/13/14, the BAK 14 is retractable). The WW-II fighters were sometimes better off in the grass since many of the runways were pierced steel planking, but anything bigger and you wanted a runway. P-51s did not like dirt/grass because of the ventral radiator opening on the belly. Difficult to ditch, too.
I always thought that the best thing to do in a belly landing is to put the wheels down. Just like when you have insomnia, Best cure is to get plenty of sleep!
Bob- Happened all the time. Quote from one Hun (F-100) pilot: "That horn was so loud, I could not hear myself think."
Better view of the landing: https://m.youtube.com/?reload=7&rdm=2lre5xfl#/watch?v=x64-Bea7xXc Regards, Art S.
I've talked to people that have done that. If it's running the prop walks you sideways right off the runway. Merlin torque doesn't like to say no even at idle. Screws up a lot of parts. Not the preferred way to land for sure.
I have seen quite a few belly landings and one of the most " interesting" was the P-51 Miss America at Abottsford. When we got to the airplane we asked if the hydraulics went out, " No." Gear locks failed, "No". " I forgot to put the wheels down." Then years later after the airplane had been repaired and raced at Reno and other venues, it had another incident that had to have the radiator scoop repaired. Inside there was a number 10 bucking bar that had been left in there from the first repair many years before. It had chewed up some of the structure from vibrating around in there for a long time. Anyway, usually the first words after a quick stop is , " Jesus, another engine teardown and new prop. "
I had someone describe to me those seconds between expecting the wheels to make contact and hearing the prop tips hit instead and wondering "whats wrong?". It's happened to a lot of good pilots. Expensive lesson in a Mustang. The price of 4 prop blades alone will get your attention.
