b-17 flyover

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » May 21, 2011, 4:27 pm

caught this thing flying over today. it's the "liberty belle". after i got done working on the 67 i drove down hoping to catch some take offs, but when i got there they were done flying for the day so i got some pics.

click to play video:

there was a p-40 there too:

Hookedtrout · Post by **Hookedtrout** » May 21, 2011, 4:58 pm

That looks like fun, did you try to talk them in to giving you a little test flight?

Max · Post by **Max** » May 21, 2011, 5:47 pm

Cool pics Rutherford!

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » May 21, 2011, 7:04 pm

a ride along was only 430$ in the b17. thought about buying the whole flight for myself, but figured that would be greedy so i just walked around and took pics. lol
oh, and thanks octuro.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » May 21, 2011, 7:30 pm

Thanks for the pics. I was thinking a ride was pretty pricey. About 10 years ago my wife handled the publicity when the CAF (Commemorative Air Force formerly the Confederate Air Force) brought a B17 Flying Fortress and a B24 Liberator to Monroe for a show. My wife was lucky enough (due to her work on the project and connections) to catch a ride on the B24 (Diamond Lil) up to Little Rock for the next show. The Liberator lost an engine on the way up and the Air Force scrambled a couple of jets to escort them into Little Rock. Two weeks later she flew on a Black Hawk helicopter from Monroe to Minden LA (near Shreveport) and back. Girls have all the fun

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » May 21, 2011, 8:01 pm

they do, don't they grits? i can understand the price as i'm sure fuel and maintenance have got to be outrageous. when you are talking about gpm i'm sure it gets expensive.

Post by **Greg D** » May 21, 2011, 8:35 pm

I remember about 16 years ago being told that it cost $2400 per hour to operate a P-51 Mustang. Not thinking it's any cheaper now.
I saw the CAF's B-29 and 3 WW2 fighters - I know that 2 were P-51s the day I came down Chris - think I forgot to ask you what was going on.
The "Gunfighter II" P-51 hangers in Council Bluffs Ia right across the river.

Max · Post by **Max** » May 21, 2011, 9:23 pm

I've been very, very lucky. We used to have the Texas Raiders B-17 based out at Ellington years ago. When they would tinker with the engines, they would ask us line guys if we wanted to go up for a spin around the yard. I've been up 7 times and twice all by myself aside from 2 pilots and a mechanic on board. We would take off, fly over NASA, Galveston Bay and turn back in over the Texas Monument and Battleship Texas before landing. Always thought it was cool but never realized how fortunate those opportunities were until I saw what they charge for those rides at air shows.

Max · Post by **Max** » June 14, 2011, 12:52 pm

Sorry to resurrect this thread under the circumstances but FordBoy Pete provided me this sad story...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nati ... otogallery

Brian Taylor · Post by **Brian Taylor** » June 14, 2011, 1:18 pm

Glad the crew got out OK bad sad to see such a beautiful bird burn up.

dave r · Post by **dave r** » June 14, 2011, 3:49 pm

How would you like to have been a turret gunner in that belly turret?YIKES.That must have been "fun"whan the sky was full of ME 109's...
Dave

Uncle Skip · Post by **Uncle Skip** » June 14, 2011, 4:30 pm

Max. Just saw Pete's e-mail and I'm really bummed out. What a tragic loss but like you said, no one was hurt.
Old airplanes are like old guys.
You just never know when your number is going to get called.

Obsa · Post by **Obsa** » June 14, 2011, 5:11 pm

Very Sad news indeed! I remember watching an older show on Discovery's Nova on the Kee Bird that met a simiular end.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kee_Bird

Post by **Greg D** » June 14, 2011, 9:33 pm

I am very glad no one was seriously hurt.
What a tragedy though.
I saw the documentary on the Kee Bird too - very sad.
There are not alot of these old birds left.
With some of the planes there are one or NONE left - fewer even are in flying condition.
Fokker DR 1s - there were 2 original ones in existence at the start of WW2. One was in a museum in Berlin, the other in a Museum in England. Both were lost to bombing raids.
People have drug whats left of airframes off the bottom of oceans, there was a P 38 F (?) dug out of the ice, planes drug in pieces out of jungles to be restored. Thousands of man hours and hundreds of thousands go into the restoration of these so we can remember - truly a labor of love that even building Slicks can't compete with.
I love these old planes - I will spend a whole day at an air show (and a good sunburn) just to look at the WW 2 planes.
Some years ago I was at OFFUTT's open house with Gigi (my ex). I was looking at a P 51B that was painted in Tuskegee colors. I happened to be wearing my T shirt that has an Me 262 on it. I hadn't noticed but there was a black gentleman up in the cockpit of the plane. He apparently looked down and saw my shirt he said;
"I remember the first time I saw one of those - scared the shit out of me!"
I had a nice visit with him and heard some great stories from Lt Col Charles Lane. Gigi made a beeline for booth that was over off the flight line and comes back with a Tuskegee poster - turns out one of the planes one it was Charlie's (Meatball Rap II). She asked him if he would autograph the poster for me which he did - I have it framed. My RC P 51 is also painted as Charlie's plane - I had to hand paint it you can't get decals. I will remember that til the day I die - such an honor and such a great man and hero.

http://www.orgsites.com/ne/nebraskatusk ... en/cgm.pdf

http://www.orgsites.com/ne/nebraskatuskegeeairmen/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SinSJ7DQkoI

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » June 14, 2011, 9:52 pm

i could only get to pic number 7 and i had to stop. i can't look.

Michelle · Post by **Michelle** » June 14, 2011, 10:05 pm

A very sad ending for a graceful lady.

Max, I was out at Ellington visiting Mr. Rohmer one day and got a close look at the Texas Raider.

Post by **Greg D** » June 14, 2011, 10:07 pm

Simply heartbreaking.....................

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » June 15, 2011, 6:44 am

That's real downer, hopefully they can at least save some parts..