Message posted by OldThudMan~!!~ on September 17, 2011 at 21:16:40 PST:

Retract sequence.......Not sure!........
I would think the tail wheel retracts quicker just due to it's smallnesss and retract mechanism.. Like today aircraft, you'll notice the nose gear retracts quickly.....The main gear is another matter, it's much heavier and takes longer........
If you've ever watched WW2 fighters you'll see one gear raises quicker that the other.....

I rather doubt the pilot of the ill fated Mustang had much time to do anything......I watched a Mustang go in at the air races in Bolder Nevada in 64 (IIRC) It hit the ground in a split second...Once the wings stop flying the plane just heads to earth.......

I am not a big fan of these air races or old planes doing stunts at air shows.........We loose so many pilots and vintage planes that way...Many of these pilots fancy themselves real fighter jocks and they are not....But even real military pilots/planes are lost occasionally..........Fighters are supposed to go to "altitude" and fight, not fly low down.......

In Reply to: Re: Air racer crashes at Reno posted by greatguess on September 17, 2011 at 19:39:45 PST:

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