# Dead man's plane **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2012, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777 "2012-12-02T19:33:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/21 "2013-01-01T01:59:16Z")
Yep. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/22 "2013-01-01T06:25:13Z")
OK - There was an aerobatic trio (signature maneuver: formation take-off and roll as soon as the tailwheels came up. One of the members was the son of the founder of the EAA. (no, I do NOT know how to spell it (or pronounce it)). What did they call themselves. One of the fellows was having an exceedingly rare WWII engine-with-just-enough-airframe-to-fly fighter being rebuilt from a pile of corroded metal. It was a(n) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Upon his first attempt after completion, one of the wheel brakes snagged at full throttle, flipping the plane over, whereupon it was consumed in flames. Don’t know, but I"m guessing the data plate did not survive (if they were foolish enough to leave it on the plane once the FAA was done with it). What was his name? ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/23 "2013-01-01T17:24:01Z")
Are you talking about [Charlie Hillard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Hillard), member of the [Eagles Aerobatic Team](http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Christen%20Eagles.asp) (along with [Tom Poberezny](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Poberezny))? Per the wiki, Hillard died in 1996, when he crashed his [Hawker Sea Fury](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Sea_Fury) on landing. The Sea Fury was a ridiculously fast piston propeller aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/24 "2013-01-01T17:43:00Z")
Since we have some avaition buffs here I thought I’d share this little funny. Safe for work but a bit sexist and environmentally incorrect [http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/14064883/bucket-meets-a-girl](http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/14064883/bucket-meets-a-girl) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/25 "2013-01-01T17:53:37Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > I suspect that a lot of the ‘whole’ aircraft out there have had so many years worth of repairs of dubious authenticity that the real perfectionists want to start over anyway. Back in the '80s, I visited the Confederate Air Force unit in St Paul when they were restoring a B-25 Mitchell. All of the parts they had to fabricate were produced using the original blueprints and adhering to the original specs. The new parts were such perfect reproductions that they were labeled as such to avoid confusing future aviation historians. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/26 "2013-01-01T18:19:56Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > The Sea Fury was a ridiculously fast piston propeller aircraft. well Jeeze, it had a 1000 more hp than a P-51. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/27 "2013-01-01T19:08:01Z")
I flew in a P-51 Mustang once, piloted by Bob Hoover, the former WW II ace and test/stunt pilot. What a ride!!! And yes, I’d fly in one that was rebuilt, even if it had a previous pilot die in it. I’ve survived one crash already. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/28 "2013-01-02T07:36:25Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Are you talking about [Charlie Hillard](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Hillard), member of the [Eagles Aerobatic Team](http://www.airventuremuseum.org/collection/aircraft/Christen%20Eagles.asp) (along with [Tom Poberezny](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Poberezny))? Per the wiki, Hillard died in 1996, when he crashed his [Hawker Sea Fury](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Sea_Fury) on landing. The Sea Fury was a ridiculously fast piston propeller aircraft. Sounds right - Well, at least, if it was the landing, not the take-off, he got a few minutes for his millions. And his life. No, even If I had learned to fly, there is no way in hell I’d touch one of those grossly too much torque for a pint size airframe jobs - esp. a tail-dragger ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/29 "2013-01-02T11:56:23Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I flew in a P-51 Mustang once, piloted by Bob Hoover, the former WW II ace and test/stunt pilot. What a ride!!! > > And yes, I’d fly in one that was rebuilt, even if it had a previous pilot die in it. I’ve survived one crash already. 😉 You know, you’ve always seemed like a decent fellow, but unfortunately I’m going to have to hate you forever now. ---
**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/30 "2013-01-02T13:39:10Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I flew in a P-51 Mustang once, piloted by Bob Hoover, the former WW II ace and test/stunt pilot. What a ride!!! > > And yes, I’d fly in one that was rebuilt, even if it had a previous pilot die in it. I’ve survived one crash already. 😉 I was fortunate enough as well tho fly in a 51. My friend Steve Collins owned a P51D, named Old Boy. When I got my flight we escorted a B17 and a HE 111 to an airshow! We were up about 10k feet and made gun runs on the HE. You could see the crew moving the machine guns around tracking us. The B17 was Aluminum Overcast and the HE111 was a CAF plane. Sadly the HE was lost in an accident night long after that flight. The 51 ride was incredible, although I can confirm that a 6’ tall man ids a tight fit in the jump seat in a D model. A T6 ride will give you a similar experience in themuch more comfort. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777/31 "2013-01-02T14:33:28Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > My fave is the C-model. > [@terentii](#): > > With the Malcolm canopy? 🆒 [Like this](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=P-51+C+Malcolm+Hood&hl=en&safe=active&tbo=d&biw=1280&bih=863&tbm=isch&tbnid=IWBez0uj1zDiPM:&imgrefurl=http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/showthread.php%3F131439-Malcolm-hood-Mustang&docid=-9QRJ-2NaXdvCM&imgurl=http://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/Attachments/up1/102905.jpg&w=800&h=600&ei=METkUNfwNum60AGp6oCYBQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=518&sig=112753763759687806217&page=1&tbnh=140&tbnw=222&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0,i:98&tx=122&ty=58)? That’s sexy, but I don’t know whether it’s Spitfire sexy or Mustang sexy. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-mans-plane/642777.md?page=1)