P51B Mustang loses canopy at Duxford

[baz62]

Just been on Key Publishing forum and I see the P51B Mustang that flew over from the US for the show has had its canopy disintegrate during a pass.
See here: Click

The canopy perspex just blew into little bits as the actual canopy structure stayed in place. Someone mentioned about the cold temperatures on the flight over may have affected the perspex?

[Deleted]

Oh no! Thank goodness it wasn't worse, but what a horrible moment!

[isc]

I wonder if they used a different plastic in the canopy during a rebuild, or was it just old. isc

[Brett]

From the same airshow: P-51D "Miss Velma" has had a forced landing in the field on the other side of the motorway, wiping out the undercarriage and bending the prop and a few other bits.

The pilot is OK.

The canopy was also jettisoned, so that makes 2 Mustang canopies required.



Photo from www.itv.com/news/anglia/update/2017-07-09/crop-duster-heritage-fighter-plane-ends-up-in-field/

[scrooge]

Sad, but happy no one was hurt. Miss Velma won't be needing one for a little while though. And from reading elsewhere, Berlin Express being a B model has a different canopy to the D.

[lesterpk]

Sequence of the Miss Velma landing here forums.airshows.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=78045
You can see he was trying to retract the gear, canopy was on till touchdown so maybe jettisoned on the ground for a quick escape. Either way, pilot and anyone on the ground unhurt and aircraft rebuildable, good result.

[Deleted]

Not a good weekend for Mustangs at Duxford, but as others have said thank goodness both pilots are well!

[Dave Homewood]

Ooooch! That was hard to look at Les.