Wrong way Corrigan.

[Bob Murphie]

On another thread I gave a bit of stick to "wrong way" WannaBeBiggles for his navagation skills between Sydney and Brisbane (coastal), and it started me thinking about other famous wrong way pilots, the most famous of course being "wrong way" Douglas Corrigan who, on 17th July 1938 took off from New York for his return flight to California in a Curtiss Robin J1 and, after flying for 28 hours and 13 minutes landed in Ireland. Quiet a feat for the time despite his only being 180 degrees out.

Now I am hoping someone can confirm the story about the mid air collision of a Chinese F8 jet with a US Navy EP-3E (Electra) which forced the aircraft down on Hainan Island causing a diplomatic storm. Happened 1st April 2001.

It appears the PRC pilot was killed in the incident and his name was, (I kid you not), Wong Wei. The Electra is a pretty big thing to accidentally crash into.

It may be that wrong way WannaBeBiggles is in famous company.:cool:

[drshmoo]

Bob Murphie. You are a massive struggler

[Over and gout]

after flying for 28 hours and 13 minutes landed in Ireland :
Must have had pretty large fuel tanks......

[27/09]

One theory on the wrong way Corrigan story was that his destination was Ireland all along but he told everyone he was going to the US west coast as a subterfuge. Either he didn't have permission for the trans atlantic flight or thought he would not get it if he asked for permission.

[NZLeardriver]

He asked many times for permission. Rejected everytime so he read the 'wrong' end of the compass.

[Bob Murphie]

There looks to be little doubt about the history, but Corrigan's flight?

The intent could have been different. He did however fly to New York from California, so the endurance could possibly be correct. I have an old book here gives a C1 Robin with 90 HP Curtiss OX-5 engine as only having 35 US gallons, but a 225HP model had a range of 410 miles? You work it out. Doesn't go high enough for a jetstream. This was not the intent of the thread however, but it would be interesting to speculate on extra fuel etc. This was an era of long distance flights.

The story of the PRC F8 has me interested. How would you crash into something as big as an Electra when you were sent up to do a visual? Perhaps the intent was intimidation and it went pear shaped.

The F8 Pilot's name name needs authenticating so it doesn't get into the urban myth catagory.

Where else can you find out and stimulate discussion except here on Pprune.

[Scion]

regarding the "Wrong way " folk,
Was there truth in the story that a bloke called O'Hara flew a British Klemm Eagle wrong way to New Zealand after being refused permission. Flight plan was to Perth.
Any detailed knowledge out there.?

[Farmer 1]

After Lindberg’s transatlantic flight it became the fashion to repeat the deed. So many attempts ended in failure and loss of life that the American authorities banned all further attempts.

As I remember, Corrigan flew first from California to New York, after saying he was just flying to the next field a few miles up the road. So, he was given permission to return to California. Unfortunately, according to the account I read, shortly after take-off his compass sprang a leak, and stuck on the required heading for California. Of course, it was the heading for Ireland, which was where he really wanted to go. (This was his story, you understand.)

Strangely enough, no one believed him when he arrived in Ireland, and he won the Liar of the Year Award.

[Woomera]

Corrigan's feat was factual. He never admitted his real destination was Ireland.

The Chinese interception of a P3 actually happened. I vaguely remember the incident.

Sunny Woomera

[forget]

December '95.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/WWC.jpg

[steinycans]

wong wei was well known for, shall we say unauthorised formation flying. there is a picture of him holding up his email address against the canopy for reconnosence crews to copy.

[Zhaadum]

I flew with a Chinese student whose name was Wong Wei. He had a habit of turning the wrong way on NDB approach reversals. I said, "Wong wei your turned wrong way!"

Well it was funny at the time I guess you had to be there....

Z. :ok:

[Obiwan]

I don't know if its for real - but its pretty funny
http://www.funpic.hu/files/pics/00010/00010699.jpg

[Taildragger67]

Now I am hoping someone can confirm the story about the mid air collision of a Chinese F8 jet with a US Navy EP-3E (Electra) which forced the aircraft down on Hainan Island causing a diplomatic storm. Happened 1st April 2001.


Ah - whilst based on the Electra airframe - isn't the P3 series of aircraft known as the 'Orion'?

Would seem to me a tad like calling a Nimrod, a Comet...

[Bob Murphie]

I am guessing the EP-3E was the spyplane version which probably made the Chinese a tad jumpy, had aerials etc bristling everywhere. You are right of course, it is based on the Electra / Orion.

The US and Chinese gave completely different reports of course, however it appears it was over International waters.

Wong Wei sounds like a character. It may have been his exuberance that caused the collision. They should make another movie about Corrigan.

[Ex Douglas Driver]

The crew of the EP-3 "Aries" spent a long time with the doors closed on the ground while they took to a lot of the electronics with axes and destroyed documentation etc. They finally relented and opened the doors when the Chinese threatened force.

From GlobalSecurity.org
On 01 April 2001 a EP-3 US reconnaissance plane collided with and destroyed a Chinese military aircraft, causing the death of the Chinese pilot Wang Wei, in airspace near China's island province of Hainan. Later the US plane landed at a Chinese military airport. The US stated planes enjoy the freedom of overflight outside territorial waters. The Chinese disputed such arguments, pointing out that the incident happened in the airspace over China's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, overflight over the EEZ of another nation should not violate the general rules of the international law such as the inviolable nature of national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Chinese argued that due respect should be given to the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation concerned and the national security, peace and order of the said nation should not be jeopardized. The Chinese stated that the activities of the US side in the airspace over the waters close to China's coast have seriously harmed China's national security and national defense interests and gone far beyond the limit of the freedom of overflight provided for in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Chinese contended that these activities are abusing the freedom of overflight. The US planes are not conducting ordinary flights in the airspace over the waters off China's coast, but are carrying out reconnaissance activities to collect intelligence about the Chinese side. The Chinese claimed that such military activities of the United States during peacetime threaten China's national security, peace and order, constitute a provocation against China's national sovereignty; and violate the basic norms of the international law on mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity among nations.

The EP-3 aircraft that was forced down in China in early 2001 was rebuilt, and resumed flying. The aircraft was disassembled and transported by a chartered Russian-made Antonov-124 cargo plane from Hainan Island, to the Lockheed Martin Marietta, GA plant to be rebuilt. The Navy spy plane downed after colliding with a Chinese fighter jet took its first test flight on 15 Novmber 2002, 16 months after it was shipped back to the United States in pieces.


I take issue with "US reconnaissance plane collided with and destroyed a Chinese military aircraft". The intercepting aircraft has responsibility for right of way.

[Fantome]

Forgive a little banal digression after Ex Douglas Driver's good research efforts unearthing the story of Wang Wei's demise.

Last year a worldwide competition was held to find out clever restaurant names. Among place getters was a Chinese restaurant in London owned by a couple whose names are Wong and Cohen.

"EVERYTHING'S COHEN - WONG'

[steinycans]

http://i2.tinypic.com/vhf1fs.jpg

[Clarie]

Scion, I’m not sure if O’Hara flew a British Klemm Eagle the wrong way to New Zealand, but Guy Menzies certainly did in his Avro Sports Avian. On 7 January 1931,Guy Menzies told his friends he was departing Mascot aerodrome to fly to Perth. They farewelled him. He’d left some letters to be opened. When the letters were opened after he departed he said he was going to New Zealand. He arrived there 11 hours 45 minutes later and landed in a swamp at Hari Hari on the South Island. There is a fantastic book which covers it. It is called “The life of Guy Menzies – the forgotten flyer” by Max Wearne.