European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The ands stripes vol.47, no. 133 authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces monday August 29, 1988 As Dom and sunday 1 f 8693 a dozens die in collision of 3 planes at air show by Deedee Arrington Doke Kaiserslautern Bureau Ramstein a West Germany an italian air Force Jet crashed in a Ball of fire into spectators at an annual air show Sun Day after colliding head on with two other Low flying jets killing at least 46. More than 100 people were injured in the fiery crash which also killed the three pilots of the two seat Derma Chi mb-339a fighters. The Accident occurred about 3 35 p.m., shortly after the 10-plane italian recce Tricolour Aerial demonstration team began its performance. A plane clipped two others flying in close forma Tion toward it sending the two crashing onto a runway. The Lone plane came at the crowd Tail Down crashing in flames into hundreds of the estimated 300,000 at the air show. Con cession stands and several vehicles including a German police car burst into flames. In the moments after the crash people were screaming and running some of them with their clothes on fire. Flames from the explosion burned a number of spectators while others were hit with parts from the exploding planes. I Felt the heat of it said staff set. John Flanagan of Wiesbaden. I saw the Guy coming right at us. I was out there with my family my wife and two kids. I just pulled my kids and ran. We were Lucky. If we had been 100 continued on Page 28 is Dave Didio Rescue workers dash with one of the spectators seriously injured after the collision of 3 Jet fighters sunday at Ramstein a. Everything happened so fast All i saw was a Ball of flame by the stars and stripes Ramstein a West Germany witnesses of sunday s fiery crash of three italian air Force planes described a horrific tableau of mangled bodies flying debris and a wave of burning Jet fuel As one of the planes crashed into the crowd of spectators. Vic Thompson an air Force enlisted Man with the 377th civil engr so at Ramstein said five of the planes flew one Way four flew another Way and one just sort of took  then everything happened so fast All i saw was a Ball of flame. I could t believe it was a crash at first. I thought it was just some kind of special  staff sgt. John Flanagan watched from about 200 feet away with his wife and Young children As the Solo plane that apparently caused the Accident surged nose up toward the crowd before plunging behind a Row of Concession tents in a Ball of flame and Black smoke. There was this incredible silence the Wiesbaden a airman said of the scene just after the crash. It was like the crowd was in Shock. There was just total silence. Then there was a second muffled explosion and More fire and that s when people started running  of the injured apparently were Hurt when the plane s fuel tanks exploded sending a Spray of fire that torched Concession tents and set spectators ablaze. I saw this Little boy just standing there. His hair was All singed and the skin was coming off his face. And he was. Just standing there looking up at me Flanagan said. Nobody stopped to help him. They were running. We stopped the police and the police picked him  three German men also badly burned stood quietly near the boy apparently in Shock he said. Stars and stripes reporter Deedee Arlington Doke described the wounded As horribly  some were missing skin on their arms. The Sun had come out and there were a lot of people who did t have their shirts on. A lot had Black Burns like their skin was burned  she said that after the crash people started crying and screaming. The ones who were stopped were hugging each other and crying like they were saying what Are we going to do the ones who were running were  there were people lying on the ground said an air Force enlisted Man at the scene. There were peo ple with no skin no insides. It was  or. Eugene Innocenti a Spectator from Florence Italy said most people stood there sort of  the tanks exploded then they ran away. They did t know what the hell was going on. I Assort of dazed myself he said. Witnesses said nine of the planes on the demonstration team were completing a heart shaped Man Euver when the team s 10th plane flew toward the Point of the heart. It looked like he dipped and then tried to Correct see flame on Page 28 members of a family Comfort each other after the crash