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11 COMMENTS · APR 15, 2019
My Wings Are What??

Any pilot, or ground crew, knows the importance making sure that each
item on a checklist is properly attended to. Unfortunately as
professional as a one wishes to be, we are all vulnerable to one basic
and unavoidable truth…that no matter how experienced, and how attentive
we are, mistakes can, and still do happen. There are minor mistakes that
one can simply take note to try and avoid on their next flight, and then
there are the major ones, like forgetting to unfold your wings…

Amazingly, this has happened more than on one occasion, and thankfully,
due to the incredible design of the aircraft, and the cool minded professionalism of the pilots, the aircraft were able to be recovered
and the crews left a little wiser

On January 22, 1968, a young LTJG at Miramar, attached to Navy Fighter
Squadron VF-53 was preparing for a night flight in his F8E Crusader.
During a hasty departure, and some unforeseen electrical issues that
distracted the pilot, causing him to skip an important step in his pre
take off checks… Once complete, brakes were released, and the Crusader
was quickly accelerating down the dark runway. The pilot brought the
nose back, rotated, and climbed into the night sky at approximatly
170kts. 15 degrees nose up in the climb, the aircraft started heavy
buffeting. Applying a slight amount of aileron, the Crusader snapped
into a roll at 100AGL. Somehow the pilot managed to recover to a
semblance of wings level, and carefully brought his F-8 around for an
emergency landing. Advising the tower of his control issues, they
replied with an unexpected observation…that the wings were still folded! Setting up for a most unusual and hot approach. Gear down, hook up, and
leave the folded wings as they were…the F-8 was successfully recovered,
but unfortunately the pilots undergarments were listed as a complete loss.

May 10th, 1966, Lt Greg Schwalbert of VF-14 launched off a carrier at
sea with his aircraft weighing in at over 34,000 lbs in high winds.
Immediately after launch in winds of 33 kts over the deck, the pilot
became frighteningly, and most painfully aware that his wings were still
in the folded position.

After quickly jettisoning his external load, Lt Greg Schwalbert steered
towards the safety of the shore that lay over 59km away. The Phantom was successfully recovered at NAAS Leeward Point after a tense 180 kts
approach speed and touchdown that would be comparable to a Space Shuttle approach. Any slower and the aircraft was feared to rapidly depart
controlled flight. The pilot and aircraft survived, but no word on the condition of the pilot’s underwear. Once again, the F-4 is proof that
with enough power, even a brick could fly!

Not all asymmetric wing conditions are accidental... During the
development and testing of the F-14; The US Navy raised concerns
regarding the dangers of asymmetrical wing sweep. A series of flight
tests were conducted by Grumman's Chief Test Pilot, Chuck Sewell, who
took F-14 #3 up for several trials with the right wing locked in the
forward position of 20 degrees, and positioned the left wing at 35, 50,
60 and 68 degrees of sweep in flight.

It was determined that the mighty F-14 could maintain controlled flight,
and even be acceptable for carrier landings in a configuration up to as
much as 60 degrees.

That is one bad ass cat!

Although not a folded wing, but certainly bent metal...This Crusader was approaching a heavily pitching carrier deck in adverse weather in the Mediterranean. The F-8's tail impacted the aircraft carrier deck, and
pancaked the tailpipe. After an unpleasant bounce and wheelbarrow, the
pilot boltered and managed to limp to a base in Italy to a successful
and uneventful landing with nothing more than a bent tail and a damaged ego.

(Series of photos)




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11 comments

Morris Betry
DEC 02, 2022
The 57th FIS incident was covered in detail in the Air Force Museum
“Friends Journal” Spring 2022, Vol. 45, No. 2 issue. If I remember correctly, the tabs had gotten painted gray when the SEA camouflaged
aircraft was repainted ADC grey in the field and the warning tabs were
over sprayed, i.e. setting up the opportunity for the incident. Due to
the time difference between Iceland and McDonnell HQ in St. Lois, they couldn’t get any help from the manufacture, so did some test flying with
the bird in the air and finally brought it to a safe landing. May have
missed some details.

Mike Daugherty
SEP 20, 2022
The F4B was out o VF14, & the wings were not folded during launch. The
wings were spread, but not locked. The F4 had locks that showed on top
of the wing. We called them beer cans, & when locked they could not be
seen. The pilot failed to lock the wings, & the final inspectors missed
it. When airborne, they folded because of the load on them. He made it
into Gitmo, & got it down safely.

karl borgersen
SEP 18, 2022
The 3rd, 4th, &5th pictures are of F4’s—NOT F8’s.

karl borgersen
SEP 18, 2022
The first couple pictures are of F4’s—NOT F8’s.

Jim Maxwell
FEB 17, 2022
Why didnt the last chance crew catch the folded wings? does the Navy not
ck their planes before they hook to the catapult? awful stupid on pilot
and crew chiefs part.
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