Spitfire accident @ East Midlands

[MostlyHarmless]

BBC News - East Midlands Airport shut by Spitfire undercarriage collapse (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-20939051)

Sketchy details atm, but sounds more than cosmetic :(

[NutLoose]

:( will find out tomorrow, hope everyone ok first and foremost and it's not to badly damaged.

[Duncan D'Sorderlee]

According to the BBC, it's the RR Spit.

BBC News - East Midlands Airport shut by Spitfire undercarriage collapse (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-20939051)

Duncs:ok:

[Rhino power]

Saw a pic of it earlier back on its own two feet, prop looks a bit shorter...:ouch:

-RP

[WIDN62]

According to today's Telegraph, the front wheel collapsed!!!!

[The Helpful Stacker]

According to today's Telegraph, the front wheel collapsed!!!!

Those very rare, tricycle undercarrige'd Spitfires had a habit of doing that, its why Supermarine didn't develop it any further.:rolleyes:

I guess they mean 'main wheels'?

[NutherA2]

why Supermarine

The Torygraph also identified the aircraft as a Rolls Royce Spitfire..

[airborne_artist]

The Torygraph also identified the aircraft as a Rolls Royce Spitfire..

Which goes a long way towards explaining the tricycle undercarriage. Rarer than hen's teeth, those nosewheel RR-made Spitfires.

[aluminium persuader]

Think they might have meant that it is owned by Rolls Royce?

[boguing]

Well, to be slightly fair - if it has a rear wheel, the others are front wheels. It's a stretch to say tailwheel/nosewheels though.

[WIDN62]

Why be fair? It's the Telegraph - and it said THE front wheel. Even Mrs W noticed it.

[boguing]

And being slightly fair - again - because that's the weekly that I occasionally buy for the yacht racing results and crosswords...

The front wheel that did not fail was on the right/left/port/starboard, North/East/South/West side. Not entirely sure, but aren't we in Aquarius yet? Not sure about that alignment. The leg it was sort of attached too, but didn't fail either, was mounted to a lock mechanism in front of the back wheel. And that may have failed. I say 'may' because I have not read a report of a pilot forgetting to lower one of more than one wheel gear. Or having a button that might let him.

Oh. My foot hurts. I seem to have shot it.

Not all tail draggers have tail wheels. So any skid tail a/c has only wheels. Neither front nor back. No wonder they ground loop all the time, even it doesn't know.

[MightyGem]

According to today's Telegraph, the front wheel collapsed!!!!
Glad it wasn't just the Mail. Still, I suppose it was one of the front wheels.

[unclenelli]

BBC News - East Midlands Airport-closure Spitfire 'recently restored' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-20949389)

It took part in a memorial flight in 2007 to mark 50 years of the Battle of Britain.

Wasn't BoB in 1940?
Doesn't that make 2007 the 67 Years of the Battle of Britain?

[bille1319]

I hope it's not a commercial right-off. How much does a new set of Spitfire props cost plus a 12 cyl Merlin rebuild plus a lot of other repairs and checks for CAA air worthiness? It had just undergone an overhaul apparently.

[Madbob]

B1319 I am certain RR will have the ac insured to cover such likely repair costs. It is too valuable a PR asset for them to lose.

MB

[Jumping_Jack]

A good project for the RR apprentices?

[oldbeefer]

Shouldn't be a problem - there are loads of spares in Burma!

[aw ditor]

Merlin? Probably a Griffon?

[treadigraph]

Definitely a Griffon!

Their beautiful Mx XIV, lost in the tragic accident at Woodford 20 years ago, is also being rebuilt.

[Wander00]

RIP David Moore