Which fighters did pilots feel safest in for crash landing?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Good point, you coudl be right.

 

[Chocks away!]

A normal landing in a 109 was hard enough!

Actually, during 44-45 ,pilots crashlanded 109s all the time, and I think most times they got out ok. So maybe it WAS an ok aircraft to crashland after all. Remember that the difficult landing was mostly due to the landing gear, which makes no difference in a wheels up landing. On the other hand, the fw 190 must have been a handfull in such situations! High stall speed.

 

[Chocks away!]

If we're sharing crash landing pictures, here's a P-47. He doesn't look like he's had a bad time in the air, so it was probably just a mistake on landing or take off.

He's lucky those fuel tanks didn't burst!

 

[Chocks away!]

Look at this Dora guys! The pilot was actually killed. I'm amazed the aircraft is still in one piece! Must have glided on it's own if that's possible... (Operation Bodenplatte btw)

 

[cheddar cheese]

Nice pic! 8)

 

[Chocks away!]

It was shot down by a tempest if i remember correctly... That Dora must be a tough bird in any case.

 

[DAVIDICUS]

It's interesting that there doesn't appear to be any skid path on the ground behind the plane.

From: http://home.att.net/~historyzone/Seversky-Republic7.html

This Thunderbolt suffered disabling engine damage from ground fire in April of 1945. The pilot elected to execute a wheels up landing in a soft field. Damage to the fighter is minimal and it would be repaired and back in service in very short order. Certainly, such a spectacular landing will draw a crowd of onlookers. In this case American GIs swarm around the Thunderbolt to get a close look at what they had seen pounding the Germans all across western Europe.

 

[evangilder]

Good stuff!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

my god if there's no skid path he must have just thumped into the ground and not skidded at all!!

 

[plan_D]

I know this is a FIGHTERS crash landing thread but I have to say that the B-17 was probably one of the best aircraft ever for crash landing.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

unless you're in the ball turret and can't get out..........

you don't get that problem with the lanc you see........

 

[plan_D]

The Lancaster probably couldn't take a hard of a hit as the B-17 though.

 

[cheddar cheese]

How about a P.108 crash landing

 

[mosquitoman]

Crash landing in a Lib was bad, because it was so heavy the underside used to crumple

 

[cheddar cheese]

The P.108 would probably have been effective in its crash landing because the fuselage was so flat.

 

[plan_D]

You wouldn't want a perfectly flat under-side. You'd end up belly flopping it instead of belly landing.

 

[cheddar cheese]

Well there we go.

In the picture I posted it looks as though the crew escaped, or at least some of them did.

 

[mosquitoman]

That view makes it look like a B-17 with a deformed nose

 

[cheddar cheese]

Yeah its a shame the nose is deformed.

 

[plan_D]

That'd be fine. It's not perfectly flat.