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Warbird TBM Ditched

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  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Warbird TBM Ditched
Posted by stikpusher on Monday, April 19, 2021 4:37 PM

I don’t know if anybody here caught this over the weekend, but a TBF performing at an air show over Cocoa Beach FL had mechanical problems and had to ditch. Some good footage and photos here.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/04/17/air-show-plane-makes-soft-water-landing-near-patrick/7272849002/

 

Doesn’t look too bad for wear afterwards, but I’m sure it’s gonna take a thorough cleaning to be airworthy again. 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Monday, April 19, 2021 7:06 PM

Wow that's a shame.  Really glad to hear no one was hurt.  18 years restoring... wow.  I hope they can salvage the plane.  Don't know much about flying but looked like about the best ditching you could ask for.

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Monday, April 19, 2021 7:40 PM

keavdog
Don't know much about flying but looked like about the best ditching you could ask for.

Looked good to me too. Same sentiments, shame about the Avenger, fantastic nobody was hurt.

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Central Oregon
Posted by HooYah Deep Sea on Monday, April 19, 2021 9:22 PM

Rather unfortunate, but hopefully fixable. Aluminum aircraft and salt water don't mix well. Optimistically only the engine will require a full rebuild; If the pilot had the wherewithall, he shut down all of the avionics if he could. That way, they're only wet , not fried.

"Why do I do this? Because the money's good, the scenery changes and they let me use explosives, okay?"

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 8:41 AM

Greg

 

 
keavdog
Don't know much about flying but looked like about the best ditching you could ask for.

 

Looked good to me too. Same sentiments, shame about the Avenger, fantastic nobody was hurt.

 

Yes

Outstanding.  A perfect example how-to.

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 9:54 AM

Why isn't anyone talking about the tail number?

It's from flight 19.

Just kidding but it reminded me of that story.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    August 2019
  • From: Central Oregon
Posted by HooYah Deep Sea on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 10:00 AM

so it didn't crash, it was heading home.

"Why do I do this? Because the money's good, the scenery changes and they let me use explosives, okay?"

  • Member since
    July 2016
  • From: Malvern, PA
Posted by WillysMB on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 11:25 AM

Textbook water landing - shallow water, far enough from the beach, no injuries, and fished out quickly. Hopefully the officials release the plane quickly or allow mitigation to begin.

Unlike the P-47 a few years ago that ditched in the river by NYC killing the pilot, was fished out and left to rot while the investigation proceeded. They weren't allowed to even hose it down with fresh water. 

  • Member since
    June 2017
  • From: Winter Park, FL
Posted by fotofrank on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 12:22 PM

I was flying aboard the B-25 Saturday for the airshow. I was wearing a headset and was plugged in to the intercom on the B-25 and could hear all of the radio traffic between the airshow air boss and the Patrick AFB tower. Coordination between the two was excellent. We couldn't hear the TBM as he was apparently on another frequency. The VAC C-47 followed the TBM south toward Patrick until the TBM ditched and the pilot exited the aircraft. When the B-25 landed back to Space Center Executive Airport, we heard the pilot was out of the TBM and Patrick was sending equipment to help retrieve the TBM from the surf. This is a picture I took of the TBM before our formation took off for the airshow. Yes, it is painted to represent one of the aircraft from Flight 19. A little ironic, I guess.

OK. In the stash: Way too much to build in one lifetime...

  • Member since
    July 2008
  • From: Vancouver, the "wet coast"
Posted by castelnuovo on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 1:22 PM

So thats what it must have looked like on the way back at, was it Midway, when they were running out of gas. 

 

  • Member since
    October 2004
  • From: Orlando, Florida
Posted by ikar01 on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 4:19 PM

That thing may need a lot of work in the future.  It may not be allowd to fly again depending on the damage it took on impact.  The whole forward section might have to be x-rayed for damage induced stress and the engine mounts were probably damaged too.  Did you see how badly the prop was bent?  You can figure the framework gave to some extent, here and there, and some major engine work might be due.

GAF
  • Member since
    June 2012
  • From: Anniston, AL
Posted by GAF on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 5:03 PM

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 5:22 PM

Unfortunately the six TBF's of VT-8 at Midway diidn't do a whole lot better than the TBD's. Five were shot down; one made it back to the island.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 7:04 PM

Oh my. I glad no one was hurt, but now to clean all that salt water out of the plane.

just what Hoo Yah Deep Sea stated $$$

 

 

 Nick.

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