Old photo with a plane crash

dmccarty · Mar 31, 2016

What is amazing is that the photographer got such a well framed and exposed image. His shutter speed had to be very high to get the fast movement...

Later,
Dan

EddieWalker · Mar 31, 2016

smstonypoint said:
The pane is an English Electric Lightning F1. The story behind the photo is here: Fear of Landing – The Story Behind an Unbelievable Photograph.

Steve

Great story. Thanks for posting the link. I was having trouble believing it until I read the article.

FTG-05 · Mar 31, 2016

We know what happened to plane. I wonder what happened to the tractor.

kcflhrc · Mar 31, 2016

Typically on a prototype or experimental aircraft the landing gear is never raised during flight testing until the aircraft is well into it's test flight hours. However, the story does say that he was on final approach for landing.

RSKY · Mar 31, 2016

The English Electric Lightning was unusual in that the engines were mounted one above the other. Also extra fuel tanks, etc., were carried on top of the wings. Supposed to be the fastest climbing of the first generation supersonic fighters.

Industrial Toys · Mar 31, 2016

Maybe a damp morning and the English Electical System wasn't quite up to snuff. A real spot of bother, I'd say.

dickfoster · Mar 31, 2016

Jet fighters have the glide ratio of a rock. The advantage is that the resulting junk pile is small and well contained but you do have to do some digging to get it all cleaned up.

2LaneCruzer · Mar 31, 2016

smstonypoint said:
The plane is an English Electric Lightning F1. The story behind the photo is here: Fear of Landing The Story Behind an Unbelievable Photograph.

Steve

It would have helped if I had read the article.

Deerherd · Mar 31, 2016

I enlarged the photo and you can see the obvious photo shop job to the plane and parachute. Additionally light is hitting the plane and canopy/parachute from different directions. The story may be true but that photo has been doctored.