"Aluminum Overcast" damaged by gear collapse

Rick Durden wrote:

CAF is already saying the copilot pulled the gear up when he went for
the flaps, despite being told to keep his hands off the flap switch
until off the runway.

As of today, EAA still denies this. They state that videos indicate that the gear was
not completely down when the plane landed.

George Patterson
I childproofed my house, but they *still* get in.

In article ,
"G.R. Patterson III" wrote:


As of today, EAA still denies this. They state that videos indicate that the
gear was
not completely down when the plane landed.

I guess that's possible. Would have to be a real good quality video
since you'd have to be able to see if the scissor is overcenter.

And, if they weren't down and locked the crew either wasn't doing their
job or their procedures were bad. You can look at the gear from the
cockpit and tell if it is locked down. That was our procedure on gear
extension...a visual check that the gear was down and locked.

And again, might odd that both gear suffered the same failure at the
same time since they are separate systems....only common thing being the
switch in the cockpit. And just because one gear fails there is no
reason for the "good" gear to collapse....lots of cases of B-17s landing
with only one gear down.

--
Dale L. Falk

There is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing
as simply messing around with airplanes.

http://home.gci.net/~sncdfalk/flying.html

Dale wrote:

And again, might odd that both gear suffered the same failure at the
same time since they are separate systems....only common thing being the
switch in the cockpit.

Only thing I can think of is that both motors quit prematurely.

George Patterson
I childproofed my house, but they *still* get in.

"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message .

Only thing I can think of is that both motors quit prematurely.

Noticed that it looks like the ball turret remained intact. That's very
interesting.
My father's crew had a close call coming back from Gdynia, Poland in 1943
straight out of every B-17 movie made afterward; mains blown out by flak,
ball turret jammed, plane coming home low on fuel and they had crossed the
Wash before they managed to get the guy out; as soon as they landed, wheels
up, the PAO had them formed up in front of an undamaged airplane for a
photo.

Interesting to know that Fred Holt might have survived anyway.

-c

gatt wrote:

Interesting to know that Fred Holt might have survived anyway.

Key word is "might". With "Aluminum Overcast", the gear collapse happened when the
plane was traveling at most 30 mph. I'd say there would probably be a big difference
if that turret hits the runway at about 90.

George Patterson
I childproofed my house, but they *still* get in.