P-47 Thunderbolt Retrieved After Fatal Plane Crash On Hudson River

[Omaha Steve]

Source: CBSNewYork/AP

Divers with the New York Police Department and the Army Corps of Engineers have salvaged a vintager P-47 Thunderbolt after the plane crashed into the Hudson River Friday night.

Crews began the salvage operation of the P-47 Thunderbolt at around 10:30 a.m., WCBS 880’s Stephanie Colombini reported. It will be taken to a heliport in Manhattan.

“The NYPD had divers that were down there to secure the plane. We loaded it on to a ship that was provided by the Army Core of Engineers,” Nancy Silvestri, press secretary for the city’s Office of Emergency Management, said. The ship had a crane on top of it. The crane lifted the plane.”

The Coast Guard confirmed to 1010 WINS Friday night that a plane went down in the river, reportedly on the West New York, New Jersey side across from the 79th Street Boat Basin. Officials were notified around 7:30 p.m.

FULL story and video at link.


(Credit: NYPD)

Read more: http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/05/28/hudson-river-plane-crash-id/

[Major Nikon]

1. I've flown up the Hudson river

Not a good place to have problems.

http://vimeo.com/137505096

[Archae]

2. One news organization called it a "small WW2 plane."

I've stood next to "Jugs" and they sure as hell were not "small!"

2,000HP rotary engine and EIGHT .50's in the wings!

Sure did ruin many a Japanese or German's day!

[Gene Debs]

3. Well, compared to a B-29...

[Jnclr89]

4. Never new we had rotary engines in WWII

but I thought the Japanese invented the rotary engine? Just curious? I never new American war planes in WWII had them. Learn something new every day. Sad to hear about the pilot. RIP.

[Major Nikon]

7. They were actually radial engines, not rotary engines

They look similar, but rotary engines were the type used in WWI.

[Jerry442]

8. Cooling was an issue in WWI.

Apparently casting technology at the time was unable to produce cooling fins thin and closely spaced enough to get the job done so they cooled the engines by holding the crankshaft stationary and rotating the the whole engine at high speed. (!) It did work, but the whole plane would have been a flying gyroscope.

Better casting technology led to adequate cooling fins which allowed the use of radial (but not rotary) engines with stationary cylinders until they were replaced by jets.

[rusty quoin]

5. Since a kid, it was one of me favorite WWII planes.

I love prop planes.. I made the models of them. The Thunderbolt was a warhorse. It wasn't the best, but it was a flying tank. The thig I like about Americans then was protecting their flyers.

[Jerry442]

9. Have you seen the animated film, "The Wind Rises"?

It's about the designer of the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. I have really mixed feelings about the movie, since the A6M was designed with essentially no protection for the pilot. You can say that the design of an aircraft involves the inherent beauty of flight and aerodynamics, but making the A6M as fast and maneuverable as possible by leaving the pilot essentially naked was a straight-up military decision and not a particularly pretty one. (Historians can argue over whether it was the best decision.)

[paleotn]

12. Same here....

The P-40, P-51, P-38, Spit, FW-190 etc., etc. are some of the most beautiful aircraft ever conceived and the ultimate in prop technology. I've loved them since I was a kid and never miss a chance to see them in action.

[flying rabbit]

6. Army "core"of engineers

Sigh.

[paleotn]

10. I hear you.

[malthaussen]

13. Poor editing.

The release plainly says "Corps" before the quote. No indication that the quote is a printed release (and "said" implies otherwise). Ah, well, proofreaders cost money.

-- Mal

[Sunlei]

11. Is it in one piece? sans landing gear? was this a controlled landing on river, then it sank?

Early report said pilot was outside the plane before it went under ? RIP pilot.

[trof]

14. Pilot drowned according to reports.

It appeared to be a controlled ditching.
Evidently he couldn't get the seat belt/shoulder harness unlatched quick enough.
Very sad.