Did you know this is the Most Famous Ramp Strike in Movie History?

Did you know this is the Most Famous Ramp Strike in Movie History?

By Dario Leone
May 22 2021
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George Duncan ramp strike has been used in several films including Men of the Fighting Lady, Midway, and The Hunt for Red October

Taken in 1951, the shocking video in this post shows the famous non-fatal Grumman F9F-2 Panther ramp strike accident occurred as Cdr. George Duncan attempted to land on USS Midway (CV-41) in F9F-2 BuNo 125228, during carrier suitability tests in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Panther was engulfed in fire, and sailors pulled Capt. Duncan from the flaming wreckage. He was badly burned but was back flying in six months.

Noteworthy the footage of Duncan’s ramp strike has been used in several movies including Men of the Fighting Lady (realistically as an F9F), Midway (where the SBD Dauntless flown by Charlton Heston morphs into an SB2C Helldiver in the groove and crashes as Duncan’s Panther), and The Hunt for Red October (standing in for an F-14 Tomcat).

Photo credit: U.S. Navy


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Dario Leone

Dario Leone

Dario Leone is an aviation, defense and military writer. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviation Geek Club” one of the world’s most read military aviation blogs. His writing has appeared in The National Interest and other news media. He has reported from Europe and flown Super Puma and Cougar helicopters with the Swiss Air Force.

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