1953 Ad

0 Comments | Naval Aviation News, Sept-Oct, 2004 | by Ted Wilbur

This story is based on a long-lost report, dated 1953, recently discovered among some misplaced papers.

The pilot of an FG-1D (prop-driven WW II-era Corsair fighter) was cleared for landing at NAF Litchfield Park, Ariz., while on a ferry flight from the West Coast to the East Coast. The tower advised the pilot to land on runway 20 and stated that there was a variable crosswind at 15 to 20 knots. There were also intervals of blowing dust when the sky was partially obscured.

At the abeam position, the tower reported a 30-degree crosswind. The pilot descended and made a three-point landing (conventional tail-down landing gear) on the first third of the runway. About 2,500 feet down the strip, the Corsair commenced a ground loop to the left. Two other FGs were taxiing north of the east taxiway, about 400 feet apart. Both stopped when they saw the landing FG begin its ground loop.

The pilot of the landing Corsair applied power and passed between the two FGs. He was headed for the hangar but altered course to miss it. Paralleling the hangar he passed a row of aircraft, then made a 90-degree right turn between an R6V and a P4Y.

Just before becoming airborne, the Corsair's left wheel was knocked off when it struck an embankment. Tower personnel could not see the aircraft as it disappeared behind the hangar.

As the aircraft came around for another approach, the tower notified the pilot he had lost the left wheel. The pilot had used the air bottle to lock the wheels in position and later attempted, without success, to raise his landing gear. Therefore, as instructed, he made a one-wheel landing without flaps, resulting in considerable damage to the aircraft. The pilot was not hurt. The aircraft was a "strike."

Grampaw Pettibone says:

Ole Gramps hasn't seen one like this in a long while. It sure doesn't make me pine for the old days.

This fella only had five hours in model in the last three months and most of that was logged on the hop, which ended with his omnidirectional dust-up at the base in the desert.