Society's Child

World War II Spitfire crashes during takeoff at airshow in France

RT
Mon, 12 Jun 2017 16:41 UTC

A World War II aircraft crashed in dramatic fashion at an airshow in France on Sunday, nosediving and flipping after its propeller hit the ground. Those in attendance rushed to the Spitfire in an attempt to pull the pilot from the wreckage.

The show at the L'aerodrome de Longuyon in Villette, northern France, came to an end following the crash, as rescue services and spectators attempted to bring the pilot to safety.

The pilot escaped unharmed, while a member of the audience suffered a minor injury from debris that was fired into the crowd, reported The Aviationist.

Reader Comments

Good Optics · 2017-06-13T03:29:18Z

Well . . . it looks like grass is grass and runway is runway.

How'd everybody else do that day, or did the guy stand on the ailerons too ? ?

Highland Fleet Lute · 2017-06-13T05:00:53Z

Spitfires often crash. My dad, who did national service in the RAF, told me that few spitfires have all their original parts and are often amateurishly re-jigged in private garages with Volkswagen beetle engines inserted into them. Not a good idea, apparently.

Good Optics · 2017-06-13T07:19:26Z

Highland Fleet Lute With the number of them made and their wartime importance you'd think they'd've worked that out.

Highland Fleet Lute · 2017-06-13T08:18:13Z

Worked what out?

I imagine after WWII most of them were left to rot or smashed up for scrap.

Good Optics · 2017-06-14T07:03:15Z

Highland Fleet Lute Crashing during take-off, not after the war but during. But I'm assuming . . .

Good Optics · 2017-06-14T07:15:11Z

Good Optics The Merlin engine: I'd heard of it of course but had no idea until Wikipedia:

"Racing" Merlin Racing engine for 1937/38 "Speed Spitfire" world speed record attempt. Merlin III with strengthened pistons, connecting rods, and gudgeon-pins, running on increased octane fuel, developed 2,160-horsepower (1,610 kW) at 3,200 rpm and +27 lb boost, a power/weight ratio of 0.621 lb per horsepower. Completed 15 hour endurance run at 1,800-horsepower (1,342 kW), 3,200 rpm at +22 lb boost.[19]

Two bar of boost . . . that's a helluva blower in front of a 1,600cid engine running 3,000rpm.

Highland Fleet Lute · 2017-06-13T10:21:12Z

"The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled V-12 piston aero engine of 27-litres (1,650 cu in) capacity. Rolls-Royce designed the engine and first ran it in 1933 as a private venture. Initially known as the PV-12, it was later called Merlin following the company convention of naming its piston aero engines after birds of prey. After several modifications, the first production variants of the PV-12 were completed in 1936. The first operational aircraft to enter service using the Merlin were the Fairey Battle, Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire."

Interestingly enough, it was The British Army that saved the Volkswagen factory and kept beetle production running after WWII.

Ref. Germany after the War, 1945-49....[Link]
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World War II Spitfire crashes during takeoff at airshow in France

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