This hadda hurt....

: I take that it killed the pilot, does anyone know. What was wrong with the : plane it looked to by way under stall speed.

That's the second crash of the Swedish JAS Gripen, the first one came down while flying. The pilot was not killed. Gripen is modern, unstable, fly-by-computer fighter-aggressor, and the first versions were plagued by software problems, under certain conditions the flight computer lost pace with actual flying conditions and started feeding pilot input too late so that it came in too late. The video clearly shows how the rocking gets worse on very oscillation. That was something like 15+ years ago, the guys at Saab soon fixed the computer problem and these days the Gripen is flying fine.

-Tapio-

first versions were plagued by software problems,

Not unlike the F-22. Software will eventually correct the pitch (porpoising) problem seen in a video of a YF-22 crash.

On another note, I wonder if this plane is EVER going to be worth a crap. The fundamental design is nearly twenty years old, it has been in flight test for twelve YEARS, and it STILL isn't operational. A contrast is the design and development of the P-51. From RFP to prototype flight took 120 DAYS. If the "team" designing the F-22 had been around in the early '40's we'd probably be speaking German.

If the P-51 was anywhere near as complicated and capable as even the ENGINE of the F-22, it would still not be flying. The P-51 did not introduce any new technology for its time. The only thing novel about it was the use of the laminar flow airfoil, which was already fairly well understood.

Some useful links:

From Paul M.:

There was also the P-51's innovative radiator plenum chamber. Its controlled exit gate extracted a bit of thrust from waste heat. Biggest advantage was a small frontal area for the radiator air intake, reducing drag (compared to the p-40's, for instance). Of course all the plumbing made the '51 more vulnerable to battle damage. Bill(oc)