PERFECT BALANCE

The pilot of the plane pictured above was on his first flight in an F8F-2. Sometime during the flight his port tire went flat. When he came in for his initial landing, he noticed a strong steady pull to the left. The pilot applied opposite brake, but was unable to maintain enough pressure to stay on the runway. The Bearcat, however, had lost most of its forward speed by the time it turned off the runway and ran down a slight incline.

When the main gear hit a small ditch the plane nosed up and balanced on the prop, which had almost stopped rotating.