Boeing B-17 landed in Elkhart, IN !!!

[Middlebury_Pinz]

I hope this isn't inappropriate for this forum, but we had a WWII era Boeing B-17 land at our local airport for a static display. They were offering rides for $ 600.00 each, way out of my budget right now but was I ever tempted.

The crew spent almost 20 years restoring it and it probably didn't look that nice when it was delivered from the factory! I got to walk through it(i'm a tall guy so crawling through it was probably more accurate.) and I was impressed that these brave crewman faced nazi flak, 20mm and 30mm cannon fire and rockets with 1/16" of sheet aluminum between them and certain death. I am always overwhelmed by the fact that we can get such brave young men to fight for us.

One of the crew men said the average WWII era crewman would be captured or killed after just 7 missions. Again, the valor of these young guys is just amazing!!

This morning I was invited out to watch the take off and got to participate in the engine start up and warm ups. The sound of these radial engines is almost sexual. You can see the enormous turbo superchargers on the underside of each engine. They are almost 2'-0" in diameter! We formed a line behind each prop and each man rotated the engine by means of the prop for six revolutions per engine. It was like trying to work on a giant model airplane. I kept hoping the pilot had all the ignitions off

I was amazed how quiet the engines were after starting. I was standing 15'-0" in front of each egine taking pictures behind the fire watchman. What a feeling!!

The pilot warmed up the engines for about 30 minutes and then taxied out for a stellar take off. I couldn't believe how quickly the plane rotated and then rose like a cessna 172. He banked out and came back at the airport runway doing a 300 knot 50' fly by!! Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you guys like these and wouold like to see them, I will post the pictures and videos I took today. If you don't like them, I will gladly remove the post. I am still pretty stoked 10 hours later. I was asked to document one of their 4 hour flights when they return, I can't wait to fly in this thing!

[undysworld]

Pete,

Personally, I take no offense in this post, FWIW. (It does say General Chat.) Matter of fact, Thanks.

I don't know if it's the same airplane, but I assume there aren't too many of these flying around and giving rides. A good friend of mine took just such a ride, and took lots of video. They let him crawl all around in it while they were flying, so it's pretty cool to watch. About the only rule, as I understood it, was that he couldn't be in the belly gun during landings.

I hope your ride comes through. Otherwise, I'd recommend visiting a bank for a loan...!

We're not too far south of Oshkosh, so we get to enjoy hearing and seeing a lot of these planes make the journey north annually. My favorite are the P51s when they fly over in formation.

Paul

[GenevaPinz]

Great post, please don't refrain from posting this here!

I have never been able to see a B-17 up close like you did, but I saw one in flight at Duxford, England, for a "warbirds" air meet back in '91 (time flies...!!). Great memories.

The closer I ever got to one was in Kissimmee, Florida at the Flying Tigers Restoration Museum, Florida, where they did restore one. There was only a belly turret on display when we visited. I did not try to cram my 6'2" in there, but a friend I was with did, quite some fun...

Thanks a lot for sharing!!

Jan

[Profpinz]

Well timed post, I just brought the DVD/movie, "Twelve O'Clock High" the other weekend!

[pinzinator]

A B-17 flies to the Palm Springs Air Museum several times a year, it might be the same aircraft. I walked through it one time, just an amazing plane! Those guys were real heroes, beyond brave. Just like servicemen in the Middle East today.


http://www.palmspringsairmuseum.org/

[M Wehrman]

I believe this plane is (at least was) based out of Falcon field in Mesa AZ. Formally the group was called the Confederate Airforce. Where I used to live in Tempe this plane would return from various air shows and would make a banking turn right above my house! NO mistaking the sound! When everything started rumbling I ran outside. One time it was escorted by 3 WW2 era fighters and you could easily see all the pilots! Sights like that make me giddy as a schoolgirl.
Mark

[undysworld]

That Confederate Airforce plane was the one my friend rode in. Cool.

As long as we're talking airplanes, I had a rare treat yesterday. I got to ride in a '40 Waco biplane. What a riot.

A friend owns several old, restored, biplanes down at the Broadhead, Wis airfield. I guess the place is well known to antique plane fans. He's in the midst of restoring a New Standard D-25 right now. Apparently, all but 6 of them were seized and destroyed by the Fed. govt. during prohibition, because they were being used to smuggle booze.

Thank God they weren't using Pinzgauers!!

[GenevaPinz]

Thank God they weren't using Pinzgauers!!

Pinzes were used, especially for smuggling between Canada and Wisconsin. I have the info from someone with the DMV in Madison...

Joke aside, there is a restored Lockheed Constellation and a DC-3 that offers tour over the Alps that fly by my place some times. Never misses to draw me out of the house!
Jet airplanes are cool, but WWII - '50s piston airplanes are works of art!!

[undysworld]

Jan,

That's a very funny post.

It explains a lot about the past 3 years.

Thanks,
Paul

[GenevaPinz]

Paul, I really hope this is not sarcastic...
I wouldn't dare to make fun of all the hoops you had to jump through and uphill battles you had to fight, just trying to bounce back on your prohibition and Pinzgauers joke

[greenbeast]

This is the B-17 that flies out of Falcon Field in Mesa AZ. I served on submarines and could not believe how tight the spaces in the plane were in comparison.

[undysworld]

Jan,

Absolutely no worries!! I took your comments all in good humor. Thanks.

Paul