I remember hearing about a plane (probably German) which usually killed one of the two pilots on landing. If anyone knows what it was please let me know.
WWII plane with 50% death rate on landing?
- Thread starter chrisms
- Start date
That was a deadly sucker....but it only had ONE pilot...but it would still be my guess as it popped in my mind immediately.
Chaotic42
Lifer
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Yeah, I'm an idiot. I read over the 2 seater part.
I know the Me-262 Pic had engine problems, and was very difficult to fly (especially since at the end of the war Germany was digging deep for pilots), so it could very well be it. I haven't heard of such severe landing troubles with anything other than the Komet before.
I nicknamed my Ford Festiva the Komet. So... deadly....
I know the Me-262 Pic had engine problems, and was very difficult to fly (especially since at the end of the war Germany was digging deep for pilots), so it could very well be it. I haven't heard of such severe landing troubles with anything other than the Komet before.
I nicknamed my Ford Festiva the Komet. So... deadly....
AnyMal
Lifer
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ME-163 wasn't technically an airplane, it was a reusable missile controlled by a pilot. It could stay airborne for only 45 seconds. Komet has only one confirmed kill in WWII, it shot down a B-17.
You may be thinking of B-26 Marauder bomber They were plagued by weak landing gears and had a high rate of accidents on landing, but nothing close to 50%.
You may be thinking of B-26 Marauder bomber They were plagued by weak landing gears and had a high rate of accidents on landing, but nothing close to 50%.
The 2-seater part isn't really what I was looking for, I vaguely remember what I had heard of the plane so it's quite possible I was wrong.
But for some reason a plane which has no landing gear (this being the reason for the deaths) comes to mind..
But for some reason a plane which has no landing gear (this being the reason for the deaths) comes to mind..
It called reading, maybe you should try it sometime. The History channel is also an excellent source of info.
just pulling your chain.
AnyMal
Lifer
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Originally posted by: chiwawa626
thx
chiwawa626 - pay no attention to asshat. Anyhow, for most people it's a hobby, History Channel is a good source, so is Discovery Wings channel. Check out your local bookstore, if you have one of the large chains like Barnes, Hawley Cook, they should have a very good selection of WWII books, many are very well illiustrated and easy to read. Plus, there is Internet, you're bound to find all kinds of neat info. Hope it helped.
Chaotic42
Lifer
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I've always been interested in military history and equipment. I used to build models, I played lots of Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, watched lots of movies, and read quite a few Jane's books.
The History Channel is a good source of information, especially about WW2, since they really seem to love talking about it (which is fine by me, I don't care much for pre-Spanish-American war military history).
The History Channel is a good source of information, especially about WW2, since they really seem to love talking about it (which is fine by me, I don't care much for pre-Spanish-American war military history).
SeaSerpent
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- Sep 24, 2001
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It wasnt so much weak landing gear...
The early versions of the B-26 had a very short wing span, therefore they had to land at a high rate of speed...which was dangerous and caused many crash landings.
They eneded up making the wingspan longer and that cured the problem.
aircooled
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- Oct 10, 2000
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Might ask these guys: 384th Bomb Group
No forum but they have a guestbook visited by some WWII vets.
No forum but they have a guestbook visited by some WWII vets.
the B-26 was also nicked Widow-Maker...
fueling the Me 163 was a major pain in the ass as well, C-Stoff and T-Stoff were used as a propellent (liquids) C-Stoff is Hydrazine Hydrate, Methyl Alcohol and a dash of water, T-Stoff is Hydrogen Peroxide at 80% Strength. The two touching is like crossing the beams in ghostbusters... IIRC, the Komet still holds aviation records for rate of climb, however due to the political climate of the time the records were never officially recognized.
the Komet was more a rocket-glider, shoot up, intercept a formation of B-17's spray and pray with 30mm canon, glide back to earth and land with a single rudimentary skid along the centerline..
fueling the Me 163 was a major pain in the ass as well, C-Stoff and T-Stoff were used as a propellent (liquids) C-Stoff is Hydrazine Hydrate, Methyl Alcohol and a dash of water, T-Stoff is Hydrogen Peroxide at 80% Strength. The two touching is like crossing the beams in ghostbusters... IIRC, the Komet still holds aviation records for rate of climb, however due to the political climate of the time the records were never officially recognized.
the Komet was more a rocket-glider, shoot up, intercept a formation of B-17's spray and pray with 30mm canon, glide back to earth and land with a single rudimentary skid along the centerline..
thebestMAX
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GasX
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Demon-Xanth
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Woah, 596MPH top speed, and a climb rate of about 186MPH means those suckers were going up at about a 30 degree angle.
For reference, note the the much lower climb rate figures.
For reference, note the the much lower climb rate figures.
Hmmm... The only plane with any kind of outrageous death ratio would be the Kamikaze planes... I can't imagine anything like 50% accidental death ratio... Scary.
Unless it's the bombers (particularly the Lancasters) returning from Germany... Sometimes less than 10% would return. That changed however, once the US started openly supporting Britain. The larger number of planes, and daylight capapble bombers like the superfortress changed the results drastically.
Unless it's the bombers (particularly the Lancasters) returning from Germany... Sometimes less than 10% would return. That changed however, once the US started openly supporting Britain. The larger number of planes, and daylight capapble bombers like the superfortress changed the results drastically.
My great-uncle flew on Goonies as a radio operator ... he trained somewhere in Tx, I think Galveston, where they also trained B-26 pilots & crews. The runway apparently led out over the bay, and the accident was so high that the saying was "A '26 a day into the bay'
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