Thoughts on this military plane crash midair at Dallas air show that happened yesterday?

[LaFerrari]

Two historic military planes, P-63 Kingcobra fighter & B-17 Flying Fortress bomber collided and crashed to the ground Saturday during an air show in Dallas.

There were five crew members on the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber and one aboard the P-63 Kingcobra fighter.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra crashed about 1:20 p. m. In videos shared on social media, the P-63 was seen colliding into the back of the B-17 as it made a turn. The front of the B-17 broke off, and the plane’s wings erupted into flames as they hit the ground.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Qfz7eFSX_FU?feature=share

Updates

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Part 2 Update: Thoughts on this aftermath photo of the ‘Wings Over Dallas' Air Show Collision? ↗

[BCA6010]

I've been to many airshows (not in the last couple years though), and I'm a bit perplexed over why these two planes were even in the air at the same time if not flying in some kind of formation. Even then, four-engine bombers usually fly by themselves in part because they're typically an attraction on their own, but also because their ability to make quick or precise maneuvers is basically non-existent. The B17 and P63 also don't really have any particular shared history since the latter never saw use as an escort fighter, so it seems like some mistakes were made at pretty much all levels.

From the video, it seems to me that the P63 pilot didn't see the bomber. The P63 was a pretty thoroughly hated aircraft in its time, and one of the main complaints was poor visibility. It found most of its success as an exported close air support (ground attack) plane but had a lot of shortcomings in dogfights and aerial maneuvering. This would also make last second emergency maneuvers very difficult. I'm also not sure what kind of radio setup these planes have, and it's entirely possible that they may not have direct communications with each other, as stupid as that sounds.

[Jamie05rhs]

MHO.

[Daniela1982]

The really sad part is that there are not that many B-17s left in flying condition.

[SnowedIn]

Tragic both for the loss of life and two literally irreplaceable aircraft. Boeing built more than 28,000 B-17s for WWII. Before yesterday, there were 14 fully airworthy, FAA-certified B-17s. 😢

[docster]

Do you know which B-17 this was? My dad and I crawled through "Alumunum Overcast" several years ago but none of the news articles will say the name of this one.

[SnowedIn]

I do not. Like you can't find anything yet in the reports.

I went through the B17 that was in the Evergreen Aviation Museum in Oregon back in 2005.

[LaFerrari]

@docster it was the Texas Raiders

[Daniela1982]

Was that the one where the Spruce Goose is now in McMinnville?

[SnowedIn]

@Daniela1982 exactly! I toured that B17 and the Spruce Goose that day. My college history professor lived there. Two birds one visit.

[Daniela1982]

Did you know that in Milwaukie, OR. they had a gas station/restaurant that was under a B-17 on big pylons that had been flown in after WWII and it landed on the highway to where the gas station was going to be built? The restaurant was called "The Bomber".

[SnowedIn]

@Daniela1982 ... okay, I did not know that. That's exceedingly cool.

[Daniela1982]

Someone was sleeping at the controls and not watching the airspace around them. Too many planes flying around without guidance from what it seems.

[Wise4myage]

I heard about it but I have not seen any footage. And Id rather not anyway.

[Jamie05rhs]

Oh- f*ck!! 😲