Small treat for warplane buffs.

[Joelski]

Enjoy.

Linky (http://www.joelski.com/B-17.html)

[emjaya]

Thank you, very interesting.:thumbup: :)

[dando]

Great stuff! :thumbup: :thumbup: Thx for sharing. We recently had touring B-17s in the area, offering flights/tours for ~$400. Someday I'll be on one of those.

-Kevin

[mapguy]

:thumbup: Thanks. I had the opportunity to visit Sentimental Journey back in Feb of '05. It is one beautiful bird.

[Joelski]

Great stuff! :thumbup: :thumbup: Thx for sharing. We recently had touring B-17s in the area, offering flights/tours for ~$400. Someday I'll be on one of those.

-Kevin

Been up for rides on two occasions. Had two great-uncles who flew these planes in WW II and while they're both gone, being in that plane and remembering their stories as well as chatting with the pilots was an awesome experience. The price is cheap when you compare it to a pace car lap (40 minutes vs. 15 tops), and there is not a bad seat anywhere.

[B3RACER1a]

My grandpa was a belly gunner over Germany. He flew lots of missions. He came out almmost unscathed...he has a scar on his foot from an attacking fighter. He is a little guy, which made him perfect for the position.

[oddlycalm]

Now there's your bigass taildragger. :thumbup: Saw this bird back in the late 80's at an airshow at it's home field in Mesa.

oc

[Warlock!]

One of my favorite non-racing models I ever had.



I wish I wouldn't have blown it up. :gomer:

[Turn7]

When did the Confederate Air Force change it's name to Commemerative?

I 'spose they did that to be PC?

[Wheel-Nut]

Cool, thanks.

How'd they keep from shooting the tail off from the top turret?

Edit:
The guns had an interrupter gear in them so as not to fire when the guns traversed the tail. Mechanical means also ensured that the guns never could be depressed to hit their own aircraft wings - but that did not stop them from shooting and hitting other friendly aircraft!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.taphilo.com/Photo/Pictures/b17/B-17G-909-Top-Turret.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.taphilo.com/Photo/Pictures/b17/index.shtml&h=548&w=800&sz=89&hl=en&start=3&tbnid=JioeQwlSDUE_eM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Db17%2Btop%2Bturret%26svnum%3D10%26hl% 3Den%26lr%3D%26safe%3Doff%26rls%3DRNWE,RNWE:2004-23,RNWE:en%26sa%3DN

[STD]

Thanks! Had to make this my first post here.
Really too cool. I love WW II aircraft.

I once had a business meeting at Beechcraft in Wichita, Kansas, early 1990's.
As I was leaving to meet with my next appointment I saw a wonderfully restored B-17 on a runway near by. Needless to state my afternoon schedule lost out and I spent the rest of the day talking with the crew of all WW II vets.
Got a half priced flight and had a hell of a good time.
For contrast, on the drive down from KC it was not unusual to see B-1B Lancers From the near by AFB doing low level bombing training on the I-35 coridor!

[racer2c]

Thanks! Had to make this my first post here.
Really too cool. I love WW II aircraft.

I once had a business meeting at Beechcraft in Wichita, Kansas, early 1990's.
As I was leaving to meet with my next appointment I saw a wonderfully restored B-17 on a runway near by. Needless to state my afternoon schedule lost out and I spent the rest of the day talking with the crew of all WW II vets.
Got a half priced flight and had a hell of a good time.
For contrast, on the drive down from KC it was not unusual to see B-1B Lancers From the near by AFB doing low level bombing training on the I-35 coridor!

Your enthusiasm is contagious! Welcome to OC!:thumbup:

[RTKar]

Toured "Aluminum Overcast" a couple times :thumbup: Can't imagine what it would have been like being at 20,000 ft in one of those things in WW2. Spent a wonderful afternoon walking around the restored "Overcast" talking in depth with a former B-17 Navigator who was into his second tour when the war ended. He had had one crash landing after a prop was shot off from flak. The prop had spun off and sliced through the fuselage & his navigators table that he had just left moments before...what a great guy and very open with his memories which is quite rare for a vet.

[Joelski]

For contrast, on the drive down from KC it was not unusual to see B-1B Lancers From the near by AFB doing low level bombing training on the I-35 coridor!


Tinker is right down the street too. Thanks and welcome to OC.

[STD]

Thanks for the welcome!
Seems I may find a home.

Contagious, I like that... :D

Few know that the very first base of operation for the B1B was McConnell AFB. The flatlands were good for the low, low level stuff.

[ferrarigod]

Great stuff. I've been in a few B-17's(Nine'O'Nine is the last one I remember), and I've only seen G models like the one you have here.

My dad flew on a T-6 Texan(the P-51 trainer a bunch of years ago), and there is not much I like better than old warbirds.

P-51, P-40(my grandpa built these in Buffalo after he washed out of the military in WWII because of extreme asthma, which he later died from), B-17(although I like the B-17B, the one without the front turret gun G model), P-38, Hawker Hurricane, Me-109, Mitsu Zero, and I've actually seen the what was at the time(and maybe still is) the only B-24 Liberator flying in the sky.

Very kool. I'm sure you had a blast.