BF2C Mishap on the USS Ranger

[MIflyer]

Happened to discover a 1978 issue of Aeroplane Monthly that has pictures of a mishap aboard the USS Ranger on 28 Feb 1935.

 

[PFVA63]

Yikes, thanks for posting

 

[GrauGeist]

Yikes!

Looks like he caught the wire with his main gear!

 

[MIflyer]

Looks like he caught the wire with his main gear!

I have always wondered why that does not happen more often.

I understand that now they keep the wire tight and low and have little stand-off's to make it to stay off the deck.

As you might expect, those little standoff's have a special Navy name: "Those little stand-offs that keep the wire off the deck."

 

[MIflyer]

By the way the BF2C was a development of the earlier Curtiss fixed gear F11C, which was converted into the BF2C dive bomber. But the BF2C-1, while it looked like one of the huskiest bipes of the 30's, did not stay with the USN very long. They tried the new innovation of a metal wing but it proved to be vulnerable to metal fatigue and so it was phased out early. They built a wood wing version for export and it was sold around the world and saw considerable combat in China.

 

[special ed]

I suspect he hit the crash barrier as his hook is not down.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

It looks to me like the wire grabbed wheel and rolled up into the gear-stalks, taking them off.

 

[MiTasol]

I though that was his hook ending hidden by the observer but as you say it is absent in the other photos and it seems unlikely that tearing the legs off would cause the hook to retract.

 

[GrauGeist]

His hook is down, it can be seen in the photo where the wire is about to catch his main gear.

My question is: what caused the wire to jump - did he his hook fail on the first wire and that failed catch caused this wire to whip up?

 

[Dana Bell]

Hi Guys,

That IS the crash barrier - the early versions didn't need to be built to stop a Skywarrior or a Phantom. The full report is on page 27 of Bob Cressman's wonderful USS Ranger; the Navy's First Flattop from Keel to Mast, 1934-46.

Sorry, I'm a tad under the weather or I'd retype the whole story.

Cheers,



Dana

 

[MiTasol]

I hope that is not covid because the world needs you, not @#$%^&* useless lying politicians of all parties.

 

[SaparotRob]

Nor idiots who destroy classic aircraft for an addiction for attention.

 

[Dana Bell]

I hope that is not covid because the world needs you, not @#$%^&* useless lying politicians of all parties.

Thanks for the thought - the tests say it is Covid, but at least it's relatively mild. I was into some very busy writing when it hit - right now I'm fuzzy and can't concentrate. Back to clarity in another week, I expect...

Cheers,



Dana

 

[Greg Boeser]

Yeah, that brain fog really sux.

 

[Snautzer01]

Hope it will clear soon Dana.

 

[MiTasol]

Thanks for the thought - the tests say it is Covid, but at least it's relatively mild. I was into some very busy writing when it hit - right now I'm fuzzy and can't concentrate. Back to clarity in another week, I expect...

Cheers,



Dana

Bugga - keep safe

My son in law got long covid March last year. He used to run marathons for fun and now he has trouble walking half a mile with the children tho part of the issue is probably the extra weight he put on now that he is not running almost every day.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

His hook is down, it can be seen in the photo where the wire is about to catch his main gear.

My question is: what caused the wire to jump - did he his hook fail on the first wire and that failed catch caused this wire to whip up?

I'm guessing the sudden nose down pitch when the plane tripped over the wire jounced the hook hard against its down snubber, rebounding it up to re-engage its up latch.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Thanks for the thought - the tests say it is Covid, but at least it's relatively mild. I was into some very busy writing when it hit - right now I'm fuzzy and can't concentrate. Back to clarity in another week, I expect...

Cheers,



Dana

Best wishes, bud.

 

[nuuumannn]

Yup, keep safe, Dana.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice one!