Miss Velma's engine failure and crash landing at Duxford from the cockpit
Indeed although not quite 90 off as he wasn’t due south when he made the decision to return. The M11 was an unwelcome complication. Not easy no matter what he chose. Glad he walked away.
Part of the issue with emergencies in expensive Warbirds is that there could be a temptation to try and save the aircraft till the bitter end. Consider Gliders on cross country flying. They regularly make safe off-site landings for several reasons. Their landing speed is lower but, they always make a glide approach anyway so their handling skills are practiced. They generally have well considered plans for setting-up and executing a "forced landing", so they use the plan and land safely. I have never seen a Mustang make or practice a glide approach. The usual is a powered approach with a high RPM for engine response. This is the best way to operate them but, any serious loss of power may present the pilot with a scenario he is unable to deal with on approach. Generally, loss of power sufficient to continue normal flight in Piston warbirds would lead to a wheels-up forced landing in the original flying manual and, this is can the safest way if the pilot is trained for it.
OAP
OAP
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And very importantly gliders despite their fragile appearance are designed to land in fields.
Excellent video and discussion within it. Not sure why posters are discussing the circuit - they were not flying a circuit to land but were positioning for a run in and break, so clearly it would be wider than normal. That’s why he had just moved to echelon starboard.
Strangely enough, at the same show, there was a mid air between 2 other P-51's (prop strike during a formation change resulting to damage to the tailplane IIRC). This did result in an emergency downwind landed (uneventful).
212man,
If your comment refered to me I didn’t think that the formation were trying to fly a formation circuit. They were obviously positioning for a RIAB (although very early to echelon if they were) when the first power loss occured. This left him with the option of going straight towards finals for the easterly runway with a right base to land downwind or joining (as he did) in a more conventional downwind position for left base to finals with M11 in the undershoot. Wasn’t there so not at all criticising but I think it’s perhaps helpful after videos like this are published to examine the what ifs.
If your comment refered to me I didn’t think that the formation were trying to fly a formation circuit. They were obviously positioning for a RIAB (although very early to echelon if they were) when the first power loss occured. This left him with the option of going straight towards finals for the easterly runway with a right base to land downwind or joining (as he did) in a more conventional downwind position for left base to finals with M11 in the undershoot. Wasn’t there so not at all criticising but I think it’s perhaps helpful after videos like this are published to examine the what ifs.
Not aimed at you F62 - there were other comments before that seemed to be general in nature about circuit dimension, e.g.
He doesn't seem to mention but I wonder if he did a standard circuit and if so would he have preferred to do a tighter one?
Have to say he was a very lucky boy - must have come within an ace of digging a wingtip in.
