GEAR UP LNDG IN WORLD WAR II REPLICA ACFT.

Narrative

WHILE FLYING AN EXPERIMENTAL WORLD WAR II FIGHTER REPLICA AS PART OF AN ONGOING FLT TEST PROGRAM INVOLVING PROTOTYPE ACFT WITH A FULLY RETRACTABLE LNDG GEAR; PLT LANDED ACFT WITH MAIN GEAR UP AND TAILWHEEL DOWN AND LOCKED. LNDG GEAR HANDLE WAS PLACED IN DOWN POS AND PROPERLY SEATED AND LNDG GEAR DOWNLOCK LOGIC INDICATED '3 GREEN' (NO RED OUT-OF-SEQUENCE LIGHTS). PLT RPTED TO TWR 'ABEAM 17; 3 DOWN AND LOCKED; FULL STOP.' PLT COMPLETED 'GUMP' CHK ON DOWNWIND NOTING A SAFE CONDITION. AN ONBOARD VIDEO CAMERA OPERATING DURING THE FLT CONFIRMS THIS 'SAFE' CONDITION. AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHAT MODE OF OP OR SPECIFIC SEQUENCE OF EVENTS COULD LEAD TO THIS ERRONEOUS SAFE CONDITION IS UNDERWAY AT THIS TIME. I AM STRONGLY RECOMMENDING A MECHANICAL SAFE INDICATION TO BACKUP OR REPLACE CURRENT ELECTRICAL SWITCHES NOW INSTALLED. FURTHERMORE; A SIMPLE MIRROR INSTALLED UNTIL A SYS PROVES ITSELF COULD HAVE SAVED THE DAY. GND CREW HAND-HELD RADIO DID NOT FUNCTION WHEN NEEDED. ACFT TOUCHED DOWN AT 65 MPH AND SLID ON CTRLINE 167 FT. MINOR DAMAGE TO ACFT COOLING DOG HOUSE RESULTED AND COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF WOOD PROP. ACFT RETURNED TO SVC IN 48 HRS -- NO INJURIES.