F9F Panther Slams into Aircraft Carrier Deck

Ace pilot George Chamberlain Duncan took off from the USS Midway aircraft carrier in the summer of 1951 as he typically did. This time, he was participating in the new Grumman F9F Panther's flight tests off the Virginia coast.

The pilot had already made a successful approach and landing, and was catapulted and trapped back on the deck with no issues. However, his second attempt would not go as smoothly.

As he waited his turn, Duncan flew several circles around the ship. But as footage from the scene shows, the expert pilot was suddenly caught in an air pocket. Rattled, Duncan managed to pull back on the stick and lift the Panther's nose, but it wasn't enough to avoid a shocking collision…

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