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A B17 just flew in

Started by Gawen, November 03, 2011, 08:07:56 PM

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Gawen

What a fine piece of history this plane is. I've been in about a dozen bombers, some flying, most static and the insides are just trashed. Paint peeling, rust, missing instruments, etc.

But THIS plane beats all the rest, so far.


Me standing under the wheel well:


Nose art:


Looking through the .50 calibre sights on the port fuselage:


State of the art electronics...1945 style. Navigators station (notice the paint):


On the yoke (steering wheel):


Now the cockpit has been necessarily updated - with GPS and a new radio cluster. Some of the instruments have been replaced, you can see where the old ones are yellowed and the new ones...well...look new.


Bombardier's position. This photo is taken hanging half in and out of the plane.


My buddy climbing in. One must climb into and then crawl to get to various parts of the plane. Turn left here and you crawl into the nose. Turn right and up takes you to the cockpit, where you can finally stand. This bird was made for kids...and nimble ones at that:


Bombay:


Tail gunner (2 photos):



And finally, me, the Black Pearl and Aluminum Overcast:




What a wonderful day!!

Video will be posted on my youtube tonight or tomorrow.
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Davin

That is awesome. Maybe it was all the black and white war movies I watched when I was a kid, but the B-17's have always been my favourite.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Tank

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Ecurb Noselrub

Quote from: Gawen on November 04, 2011, 07:09:53 PM

That puts you somewhere around Belton?

Yep, Belton.


Quote from: Gawen on November 04, 2011, 07:09:53 PM

I never get much of a chance to get out of town. One of these days I plan a trip to Corpus Christie to see that aircraft carrier they have down there. About three years ago I made it to Houston and saw the USS Texas and SS Cavalla.

The USS Lexington in Corpus is really a treat. Sooo big.

Asmodean

Like. Especially like those tail guns  ;D
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Gawen

Quote from: Tank on November 04, 2011, 08:26:52 PM
Wow, just wow!
Just think, Tank, it wasn't so very long ago that these buggers flew over your space making cows milkless...*chucklin*. When I get the video uploaded to youtube you guys have to turn the speakers up real loud. I can only imagine what a 900 bomber flight of these things sounded like.

Yesterday, when the plane got here, a little old man and (I assume) his wife debarked (hobbled) from the plane. His smile was from ear to ear. His wife now knows what a hell it must have been to fly in one of these for 15 hours straight. And that's just flying...not going through flak and fighters. How the hell they got her into and out of the plane is beyond me.

This plane is choice and tight. I've never seen such a great specimen, one so meticulously maintained. On the ground beneath the engines I counted about 25 drops of oil...total. Unheard of! I've seen puddles 2 feet across under engines that have sat overnight.

Videos up shortly
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Gawen

#21
crap....hold on

Ok, it's taking forever to upload a video to youtube, so here's a few more pics:

(Sorry for the blurriness of some)
Nose and chin turret


Another view of the navigators radio


Another view of the instrument cluster


Me in the bomb bay


Me taking a pic through the tail gunner's glass


The Pearl waiting patiently for her photo shoot...notice how longingly she looks toward the bomber


I thought this photo was kinda neat


This one too


The three of us (that's my skull cap and goggles)


Not only did people come and take pics of the plane, but also of my rig. Here, some of the ground crew are asking me questions about my rig.


Only one video uploaded so far. I'll be back as soon as I can with the links.
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Gawen

The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Gawen

Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub

The USS Lexington in Corpus is really a treat. Sooo big.
I really have to get down there.
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Asmodean

I want to apply that sound to my VW Passat without incuring a catastrophic engine failure...  :'(
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Xjeepguy

That is amazing!!! That sound. This was a treat to wake up to. Thanks!
If I were re-born 1000 times, it would be as an atheist 1000 times. -Heisenberg

Gawen

I'm tellin' ya...I told the ol' lady if she wants really good sex every night to play that soundtrack over and over and over and over....*chucklin*

I grew up during the late 50's and 60's. I was inundated by all those TV shows...12 O'clock High, Combat!, Hogans Hero's, Rat Patrol, McHale's Navy and probably a hundred movies.

You hear the growl of those radial engines on TV and the big screen....but damn, it just don't sound the same as in real life. And that's just one plane! Can you imagine the sound a squadron makes as they fly over?

And to think of the thousands that were made, only 10 or so are still flying.

Off topic, though, I know where there is a Heinkel III about 50 miles from me. It was featured in the movies The Battle of Britain and Patton. She no longer flies, but if I win the lottery, it'll be mine!
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

Recusant

Thank you for the great pictures and the videos, Gawen. One of the few remaining B-17s burned down after a forced landing this past summer, so those that are left are that much more precious.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Gawen

Quote from: Recusant on November 05, 2011, 04:06:07 AM
Thank you for the great pictures and the videos, Gawen. One of the few remaining B-17s burned down after a forced landing this past summer, so those that are left are that much more precious.
I remember that. The pilots of the plane I visited and I were talking about that. Seems there was an engine fire on the "Liberty Bell". The pilot of the Bell turned around to make the airport. He decided that things could get out of hand rather quickly and to put down in a field. Realize now, that every fire department/district between the (still flying) plane and the airport had been notified.

So the Bell makes a near perfect landing, has more than enough time to get the passengers out, with the crew's luggage, only to stand near the plane wondering why the fire trucks stand at the edge of the field!

Seems the fire folks would rather let a 2.5 million dollar artifact go up in flames than rather one of their fire trucks POSSIBLY stuck in the field. Nevermind the faulty fire department logic of seeing a 38,000 pound airplane on 2 wheels make a perfect landing and not mired in the mud. Idiots.
The essence of the mind is not in what it thinks, but how it thinks. Faith is the surrender of our mind; of reason and our skepticism to put all our trust or faith in someone or something that has no good evidence of itself. That is a sinister thing to me. Of all the supposed virtues, faith is not.
"When you fall, I will be there" - Floor

OldGit

I would give a great deal to get aboard that aircraft.