Collision between a GAZ-A and a R-5 airplane

Brad in Germany

Brad in Germany

Well-known member
Can anyone explain what happened in this photo of a collision between a GAZ-A and a R-5 airplane......and the R-5 is all covered up......maybe classified/secret aircraft of some sort??!

0_71a79_b5533f35_XXXL


From the damage to the GAZ-A, it looks like it was pushed sideways in the collision with no apparent damage to the airplane.....hummmm:confused:

....and here is a photo of another R-5 airplane (with the covers removed) being started with a GAZ-AA airplane engine starter rig:

0221-Gaz+AAA+starter+AS2+Polikarpov+R-5.jpg


Brad in Maryland
 
Fabulous photos, Brad! Do you think the A and the plane have collided? My guess is they did not impact onto each other but have both been placed there (following separate incidents) for storage /salvage of re-usable parts at a later date, with the plane's covering there simply to limit further weather damage whilst out of use...but who knows!?
 
Landing gear on aircraft appears to be bent (wheel steering to the right) but I can't figure out why the prop didn't chew up the car more if plane was under its own power.

Like John mentioned, it's likely two separate accidents.

Second photo shows a most interesting way to start the plane engine using PTO from the AA.

Thanks for sharing Brad!
 
Maybe R5 broke loose from tiedowns during windstorm and was blown into GAZ?

Covers might be to keep ice and snow OR dust out of engine and cockpit?
 
It does look like 2 separate incidents or a wind incident because there was no prop strike to the car that I can see.
Covering the aircraft was common.
There seems to be a lot of damage to the car to be related to the aircraft.
 
the criminal was trying to escape in the A (he just robbed a bank), fella in the plane headed him off at the pass and saved the day!
 
The Shuttelworth Collection in the UK has a Model'T' truck with a similar setup for starting their ex prewar biplane aircraft. I have an idea that it is called a 'Ruck Starter'
 
Benson said:
Maybe R5 broke loose from tiedowns during windstorm and was blown into GAZ?

Covers might be to keep ice and snow OR dust out of engine and cockpit?
Click to expand...

thats my guess - only way propeller would be undamaged is the plane had to have blown into the car. not to mention why would they wrap up everything on a plane that has damage to the underside before taking the photo?

Also note the wing is buckled and torn- probably got caught in a wind storm.

In the 2nd pic are those covers in the back of the AA?
 
The prop is not damaged because the plane was in park mode. That is a fitted prop and engine cover. The prop is in it's horizontal position and covered. The R-5 was not tied down, which most were not back then and the wind blew it into the auto or the auto slide into it. Very easy for both the Gaz-A and the R-5 to be so badly damaged. I believe there was a wind storm which we have all seen sometime in our lives the results on an airfield with aircraft.

Note also, the cockpits are covered also with a tarp specially made for the aircraft.
 
Brad in Germany said:
Can anyone explain what happened in this photo of a collision between a GAZ-A and a R-5 airplane......and the R-5 is all covered up......maybe classified/secret aircraft of some sort??!

0_71a79_b5533f35_XXXL


From the damage to the GAZ-A, it looks like it was pushed sideways in the collision with no apparent damage to the airplane.....hummmm:confused:

....and here is a photo of another R-5 airplane (with the covers removed) being started with a GAZ-AA airplane engine starter rig:

0221-Gaz+AAA+starter+AS2+Polikarpov+R-5.jpg


Brad in Maryland
Click to expand...

Wow !

Did the air-plane starter run off a truck powered PTO, or was there a dedicated starting engine in the back of the truck ? Would love to see the torque-reaction of the truck's suspension while starting that aero-engine ! Is there any film of this rig in action ?


:cool:
 
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About the Propeller cover: One time I saw the propeller hub on a B-17 while it was being taken apart for repair at an air show.

It was a 3 -4 hour process and exposed all the mechanics of the mechanism necessary to change the pitch on the propeller.

Having dirt inside would not be a good idea on a plane parked outside.

Hence the use of the propeller and hub cover.
 
Mitch//pa said:
We're certified accident / investigation re-enactment specialist:D
Click to expand...

Before my squadron was moved to the Langley, we too were ground based and we had the same incidents with wind, we thought by getting away from land that problem was over, not so Grasshopper, the wind name Maria created havoc on our birds. Here we are lined up for takeoff to bomb Tokyo before they bomb us at Pearl!!!!

1tv7f8.jpg
 
Special Coupe Frank said:
Wow !

Did the air-plane starter run off a truck powered PTO, or was there a dedicated starting engine in the back of the truck ? Would love to see the torque-reaction of the truck's suspension while starting that aero-engine ! Is there any film of this rig in action ?


:cool:
Click to expand...

ive seen other pictures of this AA setup somewhere, yea it would be a sight to see it start!

I THINK they were PTO driven.

http://www.tresburrosgarage.com/AA-GAZ-in-WWII.html

WW2 photo (note the ravens claw style connector) and a model kit that shows a bit more from the backside.
 

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To 31 Model A - Post #15:

You must be REALLY old !

Did Billy Mitchel learn much from you when he was one of your students?
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Ronn - No not WW1. No such item in the Great War of '14-'18. Air Craft Carriers were developed in the late twenties and early thirties, beginning with the above (photo) USS Langley in late 1920. Above is a converted Coal carrying Ship, reconfigured and renamed after an early pioneer and supporter of the ship/plane concept - Samuel Langley.

Bi-planes (two wings) were the main service tool of the U.S. Army Air Corps (and most all nations) until late in 1938, thus were quite a common site in all nations military, with the notable exception of Nazi Germany. A prime example of this is Brad's (post #1) photo of the Russian R-5 bi-plane. It was a mainstay of Russian Air power (Recon/bomber) even through WW11, with production going through to at least 1940.

Oddly enough, a sister plane to the R-5, was the Russian PO-2, another Bi-Plane by the same designer, which was in production from 1928 through 1959 ! serving extensively in WW11.

For any of you aviation fans, if you are intrigued by the Photo (post #1) of the R-5 and would like to see it in action - a great Russian WW11 promo film shows the R-5 in action, including the Ford AA starting the propeller - on, you guessed it - YOUTUBE.

- Doug Vieyra, S-6 Division, USS Hornet, CVS-12
 
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