Two vintage military planes have collided in midair and crashed during an air show in the US State of Texas.
Gatekeepers News reports that the ill-fated planes; a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and a Bell P-63 Kingcobra collided on Saturday at Dallas Executive Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The collision caused the planes to fall and explode into a ball of flames, sending black smoke billowing into the sky.
According to reports, no fewer than six people, all crew members, were feared dead after the crash.
Allied Pilots Association, the labour union representing American Airlines pilots, identified two pilot retirees and former union members among those killed in the collision.
“Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and colleagues past and present,” their tweet said.
There were more than 40 fire rescue units on the scene after the collision.
The B-17, an immense four-engine bomber, was a cornerstone of US air power during the second world war. The Kingcobra, a US fighter plane, was used mostly by Soviet forces during the war. Most B-17s were scrapped at the end of the second world war and only a handful remain today, largely featured at museums and airshows, according to Boeing.
The event, which was scheduled to run through Sunday, has been cancelled, according to the organizer’s website.
