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1. 01:01 AM - Test, Please Ignore. (Matt Dralle)
2. 02:10 PM - Fw: mid- air collision (Rick and Cindy)
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| Subject: | Test, Please Ignore. |
This is a test. Please ignore.
Matt
#5
Matt G Dralle | Matronics | PO Box 347 | Livermore | CA | 94551
925-606-1001 V | 925-606-6281 F | dralle@matronics.com Email
http://www.matronics.com/ WWW | Featuring Products For Aircraft
Message 2
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"Tom and Renee Crosslin" <tcro24@yahoo.com>,
"Tailwind Discussion" <tailwind-list@matronics.com>,
<TailwindForum@yahoogroups.com>, "Howard Grimes" <sikirt@comcast.net>,
"Gary Parrish" <GParrish@EnproMech.com>,
"E'town Flying Service" <flyekx@ne.infi.net>,
"Scot Crosslin" <esc22@hotmail.com>, "Paul Poberezny" <EAARedone@aol.com>,
"DAVID SOUTHARD" <desouthard@hotmail.com>,
"Allan Jackson" <Allan.Jackson@kctcs.net>
| Subject: | Fw: mid- air collision |
--> Tailwind-List message posted by: "Rick and Cindy" <rcaviate@infionline.net>
Ladies and Gentlemen: I sold my Wittman Tailwind a couple of months ago. I
didn't meet the man who bought it until he showed up to pick it up. When Jim
arrived, turns out he was a WWII veteran of aerial combat in P-38s. A real
living, breathing hero!
Jim shared part of this amazing story of a mid air collision in his P-38
verbally while he was here,
and here's 'the rest of the story'.
Rick Crosslin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim & Louise Irby" <jlirby@webtv.net>
<capronp38@juno.com>; <edbettyw@outdrs.net>; <edbettyw57@hotmail.com>;
<edbettyw@msn.com>; <ggrunke@vvm.com>; <hal@vvm.com>;
<jsgambelluri@sbcglobal.net>; <Lynsi24@aol.com>; <photojocc@aol.com>;
<JoeGB1@aol.com>; <johnrryan@cox.net>; <jdujau@sbcglobal.net>;
<STPKAT@aol.com>; <lloydw@worldnet.att.net>; <gmhick@camano.net>;
<gcania@gbronline.com>; <PattiDunn45@aol.com>; <pehissey@earthlink.net>;
<philippe.dufrasne@skynet.be>; <raymond.romnee@swing.be>;
<rhartselle@hot.rr.com>; <rcaviate@infionline.net>;
<SUEROBINSON@COMPUSERVE.COM>; <tbird7178@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: mid- air collision
> i have been urged to write this story for years, by many, before i get
> any older
> i had a mid-air collision with my wing man while flying patrol
> over Remagen bridge in early 1945.the germans were trying to dive bomb
> the bridge and the 474fg and my 429fs of p-38s were trying to keep them
> from itour sqdn comdr maj james cobb was sqdn lead as red 1,
> i was 2nd element leader as red 3 and lt ralph byres was red 4, my wing
> man.
> we were circling at about 18000 when a flight of 4 FW-180s crossed
> below at about 15000. they split in twos, maj cobb
> dove on the right pair and i took after the left pair.i was closing fast
> began scoring a few hits when "WHAM",
> byers hit me from behind and above. the impact was so great, i
> couldnt breathe. my seat back had knocked the breath out of me even with
> a backpack parachute on. our two aircraft were stuck together. i couldnt
> see out side,all i could see was the greasy belly of an engine nacell
> that had crushed my canopy down on my head. while my left prop was
> chewing on his airplane , the vibration was terrible. i instictively
> yanked all the power off. throttles, prop & mixture. this caused us to
> break apart. i never saw the other P-38 again. others in the sqdn
> watched it tumble, burning, to the ground.
> byers never got out.
> when we broke apart, we weregoing straight down in a left spiral.
> i pulled up to a shallow glide with the left engine on fire,quickly
> turned off gas and ignition and prepared to bail out.the big old rhine
> river under me and i assumed everything west of it was friendly
> territory. to be sure, i punched up 9th TAC fighter control,they came
> right back with a YES.
> now the left engine fire was almost out. i had tried to feather it
> but the prop blades were bent up into grotesque shapes and kept flipping
> around, causing the airplane to sort of corkscrew thru the
> air.
> all the while, the right engine and prop
> were windmilling smoothly. iturned on the gas and ignition, put the
> mixture back up
> and that sweetheart was running like a top, so i headed west toward home
> base,
> A-78 at florenes, belgium with the mag-compass swinging from side to
> side
> as the bent prop continued to flip over and over.
> soon the sqdn caught up and lead me home.maj cobb stayed with me
> while i dropped the gear. he flew under and said it looked ok. now i
> worried about how the left wing damage would behave in a stall.
> after everone else was on the ground, i pulled up and got a wicked stall
> at about
> 130. a pleasant tho, the prop and engine quit turningover and i had a
> stable platform.
> i smoked it on at about 150,climbed on the brakes as hard as i
> dared and slowed
> enough to make the turn-off at the end.
> now coasting, the first hardstand was empty, so with a little left brake
> i spun around and parked it onthe spot.
> "WHAT A RIDE" this beautifull P-38
> had saved my but one more time.
>
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