B-17s That Made It Home

[d fark]

It's at Wright Pat for resto isn't it?

i think i'm correct in saying that more americans died in the air war over europe than the land war. the life expectancy for a b-17 was short. i worked with a guy who was a gunner on a b-17, plane was shot down, and he became a pow. the air force museum is restoring the original memphis belle. hope to see it one of these days.

 

[Basket case]

The Air Force Museum currently has three B-17s. Shoo Shoo Baby, supposed to go to Washington DC when The Memphis Belle is done,and The Swoose.

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[dieseldazzle]

God Bless America.

 

[Bladecutter]

Bruzilla....to validate my claim about my Old Man being a test pilot @ Douglas during War. if its crooked, sorry...it's the letter that accompanied the First set of Wings they had ever given out, so stated in letter

 

[lewtot184]

It's at Wright Pat for resto isn't it?

yes it is, and i've heard they have a b-17c they're restoring.

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there's a really cool book titled "Aviation Art of World War II".

 

[Basket case]

yes it is, and i've heard they have a b-17c they're restoring.

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there's a really cool book titled "Aviation Art of World War II".

The Swoose, the oldest B-17, a D model/

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=12773

 

[sandbagger]

The Air Zoo in Kalamazoo Michigan has a 4D theatre and takes you on a B-17 mission that is really cool....the story of the mission is true and recreated to take you back to the day of the mission!

 

[wahya]

I've always been fascinated by WW-II era planes, they seem to be over built. Kind of like old cars, what's not to like. Great pics.

 

[Roger63]

I was always interested in those planes as a child, I got a chance of a lifetime about 10 year's ago. I got to go up in p 51 what a rush.

 

[Bladecutter]

motoart.com View attachment 254928

 

[Photon440]

I'll spin that for you Bladecutter

 

[Riverdawg]

That's some fantastic history and some great planes. I'm so thankful and appreciative of all those that has served this great country.

 

[miller]

Ain't it the truth!

Kinda a wild story I read about a 17 'coming home'. In England, for any kind of airplanes coming back to base from a mission, there were scattered aux fields, not too far inside the coastline. Just grass strips used for emergency landings. Typical deal was some farmers field. The field owner would be on hand, at the right times, just in case...

Story is, at an aux field, farmer sees a 17 coming in, treetop level, right in line, makes sort of a rough landing, and finally rolls to a stop. All four motors still turning, no smoke, a little shot up, but otherwise all looks good. Farmer figures was running low on fuel, or something like that.
Farmer waits, and waits...for the crew to climb out...nothing. Plane still sitting there, still idling. Farmer goes to the waist door, banging on it...still nothing. Finally goes in. Not one soul aboard! No crew. There was a still warm cup of coffee on the table at the radio operators station.

 

[Bruzilla]

Kinda a wild story I read about a 17 'coming home'. In England, for any kind of airplanes coming back to base from a mission, there were scattered aux fields, not too far inside the coastline. Just grass strips used for emergency landings. Typical deal was some farmers field. The field owner would be on hand, at the right times, just in case...

Story is, at an aux field, farmer sees a 17 coming in, treetop level, right in line, makes sort of a rough landing, and finally rolls to a stop. All four motors still turning, no smoke, a little shot up, but otherwise all looks good. Farmer figures was running low on fuel, or something like that. Farmer waits, and waits...for the crew to climb out...nothing. Plane still sitting there, still idling. Farmer goes to the waist door, banging on it...still nothing. Finally goes in. Not one soul aboard! No crew. There was a still warm cup of coffee on the table at the radio operators station.

That's an incorrect retelling of the story of the landing of a B-17G flown by Lt. Harold R. DeBolt of the 401st Squadron on 11/21/1944. The story goes that the aircraft was hit by flack during a mission to Merseberg, Germany, and one engine was destroyed and a second engine was damaged, resulting in what was apparently an unbalanced propeller that was windmilling and vibrating the crap out of the aircraft. The crew turned for home, but couldn't maintain altitude and DeBolt gave the bailout order once they were down to 2,000 feet (1,000 feet is considered minimum bailout altitude for most planes).

The crew bailed out and the plane continued to make a gradual descent until it touched down on a field in Belgium, a landing that was witnessed by some nearby English troops. The aircraft ended up ground looping and apparently the props were shredded off but the engines were still running when the Brits got there and found the crew was gone and shut everything down.

Neat story that was written up in Stars & Stripes at the time, but the problem I always had was why the landing gear was down. I've never read an account by DeBolt where he had ever said he was going to attempt a landing, and if he was going to attempt a landing, he wouldn't have given the bailout order that low. It could have been he was hoping to make a landing but the vibration from the damaged prop got so bad he just wanted to get out of the plane, but who knows. Still a good story.

 

[SublimeSixpack]

I love those old planes and appreciate the men that served in them!

I believe it was last summer that a Memphis Belle was on display at a nearby airport for a few days. They gave rides. It flew over my home several times. Man, I wish I had of taken the time to go over and see it up close, and even go for a ride in it had that been possible!

 

[Bladecutter]

motoart.com....if you like vintage/antique aviation then you should look at what these guys do with old parts. jacobs & continental radial engine coffee tables..aileron credenzas, cowling desks, wing conference tables etc, etc. The Waco wing conference table should knock anybody on their ***. i did a brief stint with them in 06....many of the blades they still show in catalog are ones i did...big ol "Ham" Standards are a gas, but they don't carve em..i do. Look at their client list...they sell ice to eskimos....for a LOT.

 

[Photon440]

Here's a painting that is in the current edition of Pentastar Power magazine (page 74) http://www.flipdocs.com/showbook.aspx?ID=10011589_914982

 

[Bladecutter]

try this...i copied the link from utube..hope it werx...B-17 on deck..several passes. CAF bird making Texas anti scum sucking litterbug commercial

http://www.youtube,com/watch?tv=Xc6M4XOHqOI

l stated yesterday the wings were P-51 & F-6-F...it's an F-4-F the link will only take You to a youtube page..i copied it exact from video...sure end up back tracking a lot in spite of modern convenience. just put in utube search, making of don't mess w/ Texas commercial...the 1st choice that should come up is don' mess with Texas B-17 fly by, short clip..key that one, when it's done, the making of will come in following choices. Impressive as hell...still...airspeed ain't no substitute for altitude.
where's that BC Bud?

 

[MOPOWER871]

 

[miller]

That's an incorrect retelling of the story of the landing of a B-17G flown by Lt. Harold R. DeBolt of the 401st Squadron on 11/21/1944.

The crew bailed out and the plane continued to make a gradual descent until it touched down on a field in Belgium, a landing that was witnessed by some nearby English troops.

Different airplane, different story, different country. Beg to differ. Flat doesn't matter.