The Grumman F-11 Tiger had an important first

Kinja'd!!! "You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much" (youcantellafinn)
10/22/2014 at 09:11 • Filed to: planelopnik

Kinja'd!!!1 Kinja'd!!! 5

It was the first jet fighter to shoot itself down. I stumbled across that nugget of information after cruising Wikipedia looking at the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! last night.

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The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is noted for being the first jet aircraft to shoot itself down. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! On 21 September 1956, during a test-firing of its 20 mm (.79 in) cannons, pilot Tom Attridge fired two bursts midway through a shallow dive. As the velocity and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! of the cannon rounds decayed, they ultimately crossed paths with the Tiger as it continued its descent, disabling it and forcing Attridge to crash-land the aircraft; he survived. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!


DISCUSSION (5)


Kinja'd!!! thebigbossyboss > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
10/22/2014 at 09:14

Kinja'd!!!1

Now that is interesting.


Kinja'd!!! ttyymmnn > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
10/22/2014 at 09:15

Kinja'd!!!0

I remember reading that the same thing happened, minus the crash, to the early F-86 when shooting the .50s up front. Could be wrong though.


Kinja'd!!! You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > ttyymmnn
10/22/2014 at 09:33

Kinja'd!!!0

I have heard the same story with the F-104, but not the F-86. Now I'm curious how many planes have actually shot themselves down by running into their own bullets.


Kinja'd!!! ttyymmnn > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
10/22/2014 at 09:36

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I did a brief Google on it, and could only find anecdotal evidence. But I read lots of book on the Sabre when I was a kid, and fascinated by the plane, and I'm certain I remember reading it somewhere.


Kinja'd!!! Turbineguy: Nom de Zoom > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
10/23/2014 at 10:49

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I'm guessing his squadron mates gave him a new name after that.

Tang ?