Miss Helen down with Engine Failure
 

Heard on the Radio net at RIAT this afternoon.

Robs Lamplpugh and Miss Helen are down in a field "about 5 miles north of the Membury mast" With engine failure.

Pilot is ok but I have no word on the aircraft (stopped listening after I heard he was ok).

As I drove home I could see the Police Helicopter hovering near Lambourne. SAR Sea King scrambled from Fairford but apparently wasnt needed.

Robs Lamplough has a private airstrip not far from Membury Mast - hope he got it down ok and that he's OK:ugh:

That part of the Downs just north of Lambourn (and the 'Valley of the Racehorse' aka 'Dogmeat Ditch') has some of the biggest, flattest fields around. Fingers crossed that all is OK with both pilot and aeroplane!

Oddly enough I was driving on the Lambourn to Childrey road in that part of the world on Wednesday evening at about 1730 local when I saw what I was sure was a P-51 at low level near the 233' mast at the top of the hill...

I was told on Sunday morning, not from any offical source that It was an under carriage failure. Aircraft belly landed with prop and radiator scoop damaged. Thankfully pilot OK.
Having enjoyed the display on Saturday it was very sad to hear of this. I hope that the damage is not irreparable and that we see Miss Helen back in the skies where she belongs before too long.

He had an engine failure and realising he was not going to make his landing strip made, some 3/4 mile away, made a conscious decision to make a wheels up landing into wind in a suitable field. He managed to stop the prop to minimise damage and made a text book forced landing. Pilot was uninjured and aircraft intact.

Wheels up landing AND intact? Tell that to the rad. :D

Apparently, Mrs Miggins down the pub last night told me that he heroically steered the plane away from a local school, and in doing so, force-landed in the field! http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/Gif/WBtazani.gif

The undercarriage was deliberately left retracted to minimise the tendancy to nose over!

The engine had already stopped prior to the landing, hence the forced landing. D'oh http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/Gif/SIMPHomer2.gif

From what I have heard (not from Mrs Miggins, but a very informed person who knows about these things), the damage was remarkably slight (a couple of prop blades, some flap damage, the obvious radiator & doghouse section skin damage) and the aeroplane is easily repairable, with some cash injections.....Well done Robs, you did a good job!

Am I totally stoopid or is there a possibility of windmilling ?

Have you ever tried to turn a prop attached to a stationary, maybe even damaged Merlin???

No, but I've read a lot of accounts of aircraft, Merlin powered, with windmilling props because the pilot couldn't feather the propeller.

Any ideas on what speed is needed to start a Merlin windmilling?


Ouch, the prop is the most expensive part of the whole aircraft.

Bent Blades = shock-loaded engine

I beleive it would only be shock-loaded if it is under power when the blades strike (and even then I think you can be lucky...) so not in this case surely?

Hope the problem under the bonnet wasn't too catastrophic - Merlin rebuilds come very expensive!

That said, I am relieved to hear that this very historic aircraft (an original Blue Nose :mad: of Bodney) is relatively lightly damaged and look forward to seeing her flying again soon!

Well done Robs.

"an original Blue Nose of Bodney"

Not much of it from what I can remember :-)

But a very good effort (again) from someone who doesn't get to fly very often.