Originally Posted by
dixi188
Farnborough Saab 105
I think this was 1974.
I saw this happen.
The Saab 105 did a "touch and go" over the top and in front of the Viggen that was lined up for take off. The Viggen took off while the 105 did a loop.
On coming out of the loop the pilot forgot to extend the gear and the 105 landed on its belly. It stayed wings level until it stopped and then tipped onto one wingtip.
The aircraft was removed with a crane and Queen Mary and the runway was re opened within 15 mins, while the Viggen did an extended display.
My father was at the show the following day and the Saab 105 was flying again with the announcer telling the crowd what had happened and what a good aircraft it was.
Hope this helps.
I too saw this happen, I was preparing a helicopter installation for a flight trial the week after the Air Show and was working out our one of the Black Hangers by the Control Tower.
The SAAB 105G was recovered into the hangar I was working in. The aircraft was broken in two around the middle, all the rivets were sheared and the two halves were held together by the cables and plumbing. I don’t know what aircraft flew the next day, but it certainly wasn’t the accident aircraft which left The hangar on a truck.