Texas Raiders B-17, P-63

[Renken2000Classic]

Did y'all see that horrific crash? Awful. Only B-17 I've ever been in. Tossed the idea of going to that airshow a month or two back, but didn't.

 

[topgun3690]

Saw several videos from different angles......a terrible tragedy and the loss of 6 souls.....luckily no one on the ground was hurt/killed. Have seen that plane many times at airshows. A lot of history and aviation experience went up in a ball of flames.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Terrible event. Looked like the fighter flew right into the bomber. Misjudged?

 

[ahicks]

Terrible event. Looked like the fighter flew right into the bomber. Misjudged?

My WAG.
I used to be a pilot. When flying below the wing (a Cessna or Piper Cub for instance), it's nearly impossible to see above you. When flying above the wing, a plane immediately below you can be every bit as difficult to see. This fact is reinforced occasionally by light plane crashes very near an airport. All almost identical. Pilot below pulls up into a plane right above him, or a plane "on top" descends onto a plane below him. Neither one aware of anything wrong until it's way too late....

Watch the film clip again, noting the fighter pilot has his plane's wing between him and the bomber.... and there's no chance that bomber had near enough time to get out of his way....

 

[topgun3690]

These air show re-enactments look like chaos from the ground, but are really highly choreographed.....the larger planes/bombers follow a certain pattern and altitude.....the smaller faster planes/fighters follow a different pattern at a different altitude....in theory they should not hit each other if they adhere to the plan. Obviously, somebody was not where they were supposed to be. And, like ahicks said, the low wing on the fighter could have prevented that pilot from seeing the bomber. Most comments I am seeing on other sites are blaming the P-63 pilot for the crash.....not so sure about that.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Good points.
Even if the bomber pilot saw the fighter, it's next to impossible to get out of the way when you're flying a fortress....

 

[aspeck]

Saw it, saddened by it… so much experience, talent, and ability lost so quickly because someone misjudged something.

 

[Renken2000Classic]

Didn't look like either one of them had any idea what was about to happen.

Echo the, thankfully no one on the ground hurt. Per one video I saw, they were off the airport just seconds before that, over businesses and stuff where people were watching.