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When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:52 pm
by Big B
I came across this and thought I would share it...
One particularly interesting kill was scored by a Marine Lieutenant R.R. Klingman of VMF-312 Checkerboards, over Okinawa. According to the story, he was in pursuit of a Kawasaki Ki-45 Toryu ("Nick") twin engine fighter at extremely high altitude when his guns jammed due to the gun lubrication thickening from the extreme cold. He simply flew up and chopped off the Ki-45's tail with the big propeller of the Corsair. Despite missing five inches off the end of his propeller blades, he managed to land safely and was awarded the Navy Cross.
I thought only Bugs Bunny did that
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:02 pm
by gunner333
Actually this was the common practice of Red Air Army in WW2.
A lot of Russian aces have 2-3 kills made by ramming his blade into enemy aircraft.
They called it "Taran".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramming
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:39 pm
by decaro
ORIGINAL: Big B
... He simply flew up and chopped off the Ki-45's tail with the big propeller of the Corsair. Despite missing five inches off the end of his propeller blades, he managed to land safely and was awarded the Navy Cross.
I thought only Bugs Bunny did that
[/quote]
That also happened in an old Johnny Quest cartoon, but w/WW I biplanes. But the only kill was made by a Condor!
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:40 pm
by niceguy2005
There was an interesting segment on...that History Channel show...is it Warbirds, I can't recall. The show recounted the stories of several German pilots who were sent up to ram B-17s. One of them did exctaly the same. He ran his 109 into the tail of the B-17 and chopped off the stabalizer. Although, he lived, he didn't fly home though.
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:55 pm
by spence
I once had a book ("Flying Fortress" I think) which had a picture of a B-17 in flight with a gash through the fuselage that practically cut it in half (the main spar on the underside apparently being all that held the plane together). Apparently the result of a ramming by or collision with a Bf109. The B17 made it back to England. OK here it is:
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:04 pm
by panda124c
ORIGINAL: spence
I once had a book ("Flying Fortress" I think) which had a picture of a B-17 in flight with a gash through the fuselage that practically cut it in half (the main spar on the underside apparently being all that held the plane together). Apparently the result of a ramming by or collision with a Bf109. The B17 made it back to England. OK here it is:
IRC the tail gunner said it was a wild ride home.
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:47 pm
by Historiker
Several Me 262 scored kills by ramming (vs fighters) and landed savely.
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:49 pm
by Charbroiled
ORIGINAL: spence
I once had a book ("Flying Fortress" I think) which had a picture of a B-17 in flight with a gash through the fuselage that practically cut it in half (the main spar on the underside apparently being all that held the plane together). Apparently the result of a ramming by or collision with a Bf109. The B17 made it back to England. OK here it is:
Is that a piece of the plane falling below the gash, or .......
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:03 pm
by Historiker
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-_EXtBEaBbs
Something I thought about regarding the picture...
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:10 pm
by Apollo11
Hi all,
This is famous and well known story!
Leo "Apollo11"
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 6:23 pm
by AW1Steve
ORIGINAL: spence
I once had a book ("Flying Fortress" I think) which had a picture of a B-17 in flight with a gash through the fuselage that practically cut it in half (the main spar on the underside apparently being all that held the plane together). Apparently the result of a ramming by or collision with a Bf109. The B17 made it back to England. OK here it is:
[:)]Actually the plane is the "hang the expense againIII " , and it was based in North Africa. Look at the roundel and you will see it is very early war.[:D]
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:44 pm
by m10bob
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:11 pm
by Feinder
IRC the tail gunner said it was a wild ride home.
You think?!
Talk about under-statement.
[X(]
-F-
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:36 pm
by m10bob
That Tunisian B 17 was the "All American", and it fell apart once it landed.
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 8:09 am
by m10bob
Any landing you can walk away from.......
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:13 pm
by Curty
ORIGINAL: m10bob
That Tunisian B 17 was the "All American", and it fell apart once it landed.
This is a very close shave for the waist/tail gunners..the big man upstairs must have been looking after them[:-][X(]
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:17 pm
by Curty
ORIGINAL: m10bob
Any landing you can walk away from.......
..AND AS FOR THIS! ITS THE WORST PARKING I'VE SEEN IN MY LIFE[:-][:D]
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 2:24 pm
by Apollo11
Hi all,
ORIGINAL: m10bob
Any landing you can walk away from.......
Icredible - never seen such big aircraft do that! [X(][X(][X(]
BTW, how did the tail gunner get out? [8D]
Leo "Apollo11"
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:44 pm
by Dino
In this case, I'd be more worried about the nose gunner...
RE: When reality looks like the cartoons...
Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 4:25 am
by ChezDaJez
That's what an overstacked airfield looks like in WitP!
Chez
ORIGINAL: m10bob
Any landing you can walk away from.......