Yesterday I attended an air show at which were a half dozen Model T's.
In the afternoon when the T’s were ready to leave, a police explorer and a airshow staff person were assisting them to get around the plane they were parked behind and through the people. The police explorer was leading the single-file parade of T’s, clearing the people to make a path for the T’s. The airshow person was directing the T’s to go to the side of the engines and props (on the right side of the picture). Four or five T’s followed the directions given by the airshow staff, but then one decided to not follow the others going around the engines, but to take a shortcut right under the engine and prop!
When the airshow staff person yelled at the T taking the shortcut to STOP!, the driver apparently panicked and floored the control pedal (or let it out all the way), causing the T to speed forward, and finally stall, after it was under the propeller. If the T had been only 2 or 3 inches taller, it would have hit the propeller. Such damage, I imagine, would be very expensive, maybe even fifty or a hundred thousand dollars! (airplane props and engines are not cheap).
Moral of the story is NEVER drive under the props of an airplane. Doing so could be very costly!
That one half wit will probably cause the group not to be invited back next year. Good thing you got a look while you had the chance. Notice how the props are set? That didn't happen by accident. Their high enough off the ground when set this way (on this particular aircraft) to allow the chimps that talk to safely walk around. Of course there's always one who'll find a way around that.
If a t hit one of those props..the cost would be MUCH more than a hundred thousand dollars! yieks!
Looks like the boys manning that ol E Model had the sense to turn the props for the most ground clearance. You'd be surprised how many air show tourists will walk straight into them.
It is a pity that Bob Plegge from Denver, Colorado is not alive. I remember him being right into model 'T' powered aircraft. Nothing like combining the two!