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Old 26th Apr 2009, 16:34
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603DX
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Garden of England
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"One wing folded!"

A variation on the wings-folded theme occurred in the late seventies, when a USAF Phantom from Upper Heyford hit one of the guy wires of the Caldbeck TV mast near Carlisle.

The steel cable snagged on the "dogtooth" in one wing leading edge, at the point where the outer wing folds for carrier operations. It sliced fairly cleanly through the wing, completely severing the outer panel which fell to the ground where it was recovered by the transmitter station staff. Its "star-and-bars" marking left no doubts as to ownership!

The aircraft was reported by an eyewitness to have carried out a full roll after the collision, and then limped back to its base in Oxfordshire, a flight of about 200 miles, during which the crew presumably had time to concoct excuses. The asymmetry introduced by the loss of a substantial wing area and aileron on one side only must have made it an interesting journey, with a rather fraught landing to follow.
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