Eric Lindner's book Tiger in the Sea: The Ditching of Flying Tiger 923 and the Desperate Struggle for Survival tells the story of pilot John Murray's 1962 lifesaving 'ditch' of an L-1049H Super Constellation in the North Atlantic Ocean. The barely controlled water landing with 76 passengers and crew members on board captivated the world at the height of the Cold War. Newspapers from London to Los Angeles ran breaking updates of the crash's aftermath, and President Kennedy received hourly updates concerning the fates of all involved.
Lindner conducted dozens of interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses to write Tiger in the Sea. His account is definitive, unearthing details and insights from Murray and others that reveal the full extent of the event's unprecedented danger, as well as Murray and his crew's miraculous airmanship and extraordinary ingenuity.
Here, read an exclusive adaptation from Tiger in the Sea.
As Flying Tiger 923 sliced through the dark sky over the Atlantic, a thousand miles from land on the way to Frankfurt from Newfoundland, a red flash on the instrument panel caught Captain John Murray's eye: fire in engine no. 3; inboard, right side. The 73-ton Lockheed 1049H Super Constellation had 76 people on board, but the 44-year-old pilot from Oyster Bay, Long Island, wasn't rattled. He'd survived back-to-back plane crashes as a flight instructor in Detroit, Egyptian anti-aircraft fire as a black ops freelancer, and several overwater engine failures as a commercial pilot. Murray knew the most likely explanation for the signal was a transient electrical malfunction - the aircraft's fire-detection system was notoriously finicky - but still, Murray was puzzled: There was no alarm bell to go along with the flash. His log books accounted for 20 years of fire warnings, but zero entries spoke of a transient flash without an accompanying alarm.
This story is from the January/February 2023 edition of Popular Mechanics South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January/February 2023 edition of Popular Mechanics South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Can a retired rocket engine take us to Mars?
The space shuttle's main engine was mothballed with the programme in 2011. Now NASA believes it's the future of interplanetary travel.
6 metre waves. All engines on fire. 1 500 Km from land.
How Flying Tiger 923 and its 'miracle pilot' made an impossible ocean landing.
Land Rover Discovery D300
A FEW MONTHS ago a $2 billion lottery jackpot was won in the United States. It’s fun to sometimes ponder outrageous winnings like that, and how I’d spend it, even if it’s completely detached from reality.
Volkswagen Taigo R-Line 1.0 TSI
The compact proportions make this a delightful daily commuter.
Mazda CX-5 2.2 L De Akera AWD
Floor the pedal and overtaking is achieved easily and safely.
Making the most out of your grinder
THE HUMBLE BENCH GRINDER IS A STAPLE of the handyworker's home shop, largely due to its versatility. But, while you can employ one to remove metal from just about anything, the traditional kind may not provide the precision you need for every grinding operation. Here, we shed light on the best ways to use the different types of grinders, gleaned from our testing.
Unlock your devices' full potential with a USB-C hub
AS NEW TECH SHRINKS EACH YEAR, essential ports such as USB-A, HDMI, and ethernet are being replaced by the slimmer USB-C.
WE BUILT THE WORLD'S FIRST V-8 TESLA
THE RICH REBUILDS TEAM HAD A DEAD MODEL S. THEY FIXED IT WITH A CAMARO ENGINE.
I bought a GHOST TOWN
This abandoned California mining village once had 400 buildings. Now I'm restoring the 20 that remain.
F1 taught me that speed starts with comfort
AS A FAN OF MOTORSPORT, I'M ALWAYS fascinated with the finer details that go into Formula One racing. Piloting the fastest racing cars on the planet subjects drivers to savage forces - up to 6 G's under braking which has led to an almost endless pursuit of comfort.
