VIRGINIA BEACH
The landing gear of a vintage Russian plane collapsed after it landed and was taxiing at Virginia Beach Airport in Pungo, authorities said.
The one person aboard the 1943 Yak-3M wasn't hurt when the landing gear collapsed about 11:20 a.m. at the private airport, in the 1300 block of Princess Anne Road, said dispatchers and Battalion Chief Leon Dextradeur of the Virginia Beach Fire Department.
The damage from the plane was contained to a field, said Sgt. Michelle Cotten, state police spokeswoman.
The name of the pilot has not been released.
Virginia Beach authorities were assisting state police with the investigation, she said.
The Virginia Beach Airport at the Military Aviation Museum is used by the Fighter Factory for vintage and replica aircraft, according to the museum's Web site, www.militaryaviationmuseum.org.
The Fighter Factory is a private collection of historical aircraft that is not open to the public on a regular basis, according to its Web site, www.fighterfactory.com.
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Virginia Beach Airport
Actually, the military aviation museum is located at the Virginia Beach Airport.
http://www.vbairport.com/
Saw that too.
As usual, the news got it wrong. Especially since there is no such airport called the Virginia Municipal Airport. This is a private facility.
Article" "Vintage plane's landing gear collapses after landing."
Two corrections on the article. The Yak-3M aircraft was not built in 1943 but was built in the early 1990's based on a later all-metal version of the original wartime (1943) Yak-3. Several of these were built for export and are powered with Allison engines instead of the original Russian Klimov engine. Some reports said that original tooling was used in their manufacture. I assume the Yak-3M was owned by the museum as they have a number of Russian aircraft that have been reconstructed. The damage looks repairable so it is hoped that the plane will fly again.
According to their website, the Military Aviation Museum at that airport is open and has the following hours: "If you would like to view these warbirds live, we are open from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., 7 days a week." The museum has a number of historically significant "warbirds" including some rare Russian ones and should be a must stop on any tour of Virginia Beach.
Reasonable Reporting
I am stunned to read this "bland" account of the incident after the TV news blurb just announced a "plane crash" at the Virginia Municipal Airport. I knew there was a reason I don't watch channel 3 news.
Thank you Pilot for reporting the real facts here.