F6F Hellcat CRASHES with Collapsed Undercarriage on Tarawa In WW2

F6F Hellcat CRASHES with Collapsed Undercarriage on Tarawa In WW2 | World War Wings Videos

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What a Tough Machine

In this footage, we see an F6F Hellcat and its undercarriage collapse on Tarawa in late 1943.

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We think that it was a decent military-style stall-down landing although the touchdown itself might have been a bit firm, and the pilot might have hit a pothole or a soft spot on the rollout. The left wheel also came off at touchdown.

YouTube / hw97karbine

Despite the gear failure, the runway looked more damaged than the aircraft, which is pretty amazing. Grumman sure knows its thing, thatโ€™s why it did earn quite a reputation for producing sturdy planes, never shielding away from toughness. Also, it’s cool to see the pilot survive the crash despite the plane landing on its back. What a lucky fellow!

YouTube / hw97karbine

 

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