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Victoria Sharp-Family
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Sharp, William C., Capt.
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Contact Info
Home Town Cleveland
Last Address Eglin AFB
Date of Passing Jun 21, 1953
Location of Interment Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery (VA) - San Diego, California
Captain WIlliam C. Sharp had flown as a fighter pilot on combat operations in the CBI. He flew 25 missions in P-40 and P-51 aircraft.
On 21 June 1953, he and his radar operator serving with the 3200th Fighter Test Squadron, Air Proving Ground Command, Eglin, AFB, Florida were flying an F-94C-LO "Starfire (tail number #50-969) that crashed at Fairfax Field, Kansas City, Kansas.
They had departed the airfield on a routine training mission for a flight to Scott AFB, Illinois, when the pilot, Capt. William C. Sharp, 34, Cleveland, Ohio, attempted to return shortly after the 1330 hrs. CST take-off. The aircraft struck a dike short of the runway, hitting 10 feet below the top, and struck and rebounded onto the runway. The Radar Operator, 1st Lt. Ray P. Tucker, 32, Tipton, Indiana, was killed on impact and the pilot died later of injuries. (The RO, 1st Lt. Tucker, had seen combat in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre in World War II).
Captain Sharp was buried in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego, San Diego County, California, in Plot: O.
1944-1945, P-51/F-51 Mustang
From Year 1944
To Year 1945
Personal Memories
Not Specified
Image
P-51/F-51 Mustang Details
Aircraft/Missile Information
General characteristics
* Crew: 1 * Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m) * Wingspan: 37 ft 0 in (11.28 m) * Height: 13 ft 8 in (4.17 m) * Wing area: 235 ft� (21.83 m�) * Empty weight: 7,635 lb (3,465 kg) * Loaded weight: 9,200 lb (4,175 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 12,100 lb (5,490 kg) * Powerplant: 1� Packard Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12, 1,695 hp (1,265 kW) * Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0163 * Drag area: 3.80 ft� (0.35 m�) * Aspect ratio: 5.83
Performance
* Maximum speed: 437 mph (703 km/h) at 25,000 ft (7,620 m) * Cruise speed: 362 mph (580 km/h) * Stall speed: 100 mph (160 km/h) * Range: 1,650 mi (2,755 km) with external tanks * Service ceiling 41,900 ft (12,770 m) * Rate of climb: 3,200 ft/min (16.3 m/s) * Wing loading: 39 lb/ft� (192 kg/m�) * Power/mass: 0.18 hp/lb (300 W/kg) * Lift-to-drag ratio: 14.6 * Recommended Mach limit 0.8
Armament
* 6 � 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns; 400 rounds per gun for the two inboard guns; 270 per outboard gun * 2 hardpoints for up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) * 10 � 5 in (127 mm) rockets
Specifications
* A-36A Apache - Dive bomber (US Army) * F-6 - US Army offshoots model * F-6A - US Army offshoots model * F-6C - Reconnaissance variant * P-51A - More powerful powerplant; 4 x machine guns. * P-51B - 4 x machine guns; Original and bubble canopy. * P-51C - 4 x machine guns; Original and bubble canopy. * P-51D - Classic variant; most produced. * P-51H - Lighter airframe version * P-51K - Featuring an Aeroproducts propeller. * F-51 - Redesignated to "Fighter" in the new jet fighter age. * F-6K - Reconnaissance version of P-51K