posted 06-04- 11:55 AM               

BIGGIN HILL, England (Reuters) - The pilot of a World War Two fighter was killed when his plane crashed and exploded at an air show near London on Sunday, the day after another aircraft crashed at the show killing two crewmen.
An eyewitness at the Biggin Hill International Air Fair in Kent said the U.S.-made single-seater Kingcobra plunged into the ground during a display by World War Two aircraft.

Bob Etherington told Reuters the plane was one of three performing a series of loops at about 1,000 feet above the runway when it crashed about 400 yards from the crowd.

"At the top of the loop he just seemed to lose it... He crashed just to the south of the control tower. He just disappeared behind the trees, there was a big bang, a flash of flame and that was that."

A police spokesman said the pilot was male but could not give his name.

On Saturday, a restored 1950s De Havilland Vampire fighter trainer crashed. Witnesses said the Vampire corkscrewed twice before it caught fire and fell from the sky.

Both crashes are being investigated by Britain's air crash investigators.

posted 06-04- 12:20 PM            

I haven't been to an airshow in years, I'd love to see some wwii planes in action.

Werner

posted 06-04- 12:52 PM               

They seem to be more popular in the states and in the UK.

posted 06-04- 01:16 PM               

[This message has been edited by Sunray (edited 06-04-2001).]