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Title: Seventy-five years of Flying Fortresses
Source:
Experimental Aircraft Association
URL Source: http://www.airventure.org/news/2010/100728_b17s.html
Published: Jul 28, 2010
Author: Frederick A. Johnsen
Post Date: 2010-07-28 23:33:07 by X-15
Keywords: None
Views: 202
Comments: 9
It's been 75 years-that's three-quarters of a century-since the prototype of the Flying Fortress series took to the skies for the first time over Seattle, Washington. For so many reasons, the B-17 Flying Fortress became an American icon. That 75th milestone was reached this week-Wednesday-with three B-17s in attendance at AirVenture 2010. From the Gulf Coast Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a long-time air show B-17, "Texas Raiders," shares space on AeroShell Square with other crown jewels of aviation. Texas Raiders has spent the past 47 years in the care of the CAF. Its evolution is emblematic of the civilian Fortresses. When first purchased by the CAF in 1967, the bomber kept civilian paint and markings, gradually transitioning to military paint schemes of varying authenticity. No turrets were fitted for a number of years, but by the early 1980s expectations on the appearance of warbirds coincided with the acquisition and installation of a lower ball turret and the distinctive chin turret. The CAF made a deliberate decision-as have some other warbird restorers-to keep its complete Sperry top turret in the hangar instead of in the bomber, since the floor-to-ceiling presence of the Sperry would inhibit tours from nose to tail. So Raiders flies with a realistic Sperry turret dome, but a clearer passageway inside. Maintaining and campaigning a veteran like Texas Raiders makes for some other challenges-ones with dollar signs as the price and scarcity of B-17s and parts just go up. In fact, Texas Raiders is back on the circuit this year after more than seven years of rebuilding at Houston's Hobby Airport, a project launched after inspections revealed substantial corrosion that demanded disassembly of much of the structure and machining of fittings. With a ruggedly authentic paint scheme and dummy guns bristling, "this is as close to original as we can get," says her flight engineer, Rick Thomas. That mandatory rehabilitation cost nearly $600,000-bucks not easily raised. That is the degree to which the stewards of the remaining B-17s must go to ensure their safe preservation. Also hailing from the Gulf Coast, the B-17G Thunderbird represents a combat veteran of the same name. Owned and cared for by the Lonestar Flight Museum in Galveston, Texas, Thunderbird somehow avoided the issues faced by Texas Raiders, but Lonestar's facilities were ravaged by Hurricane Ike in 2007. Thunderbird flew to safety, but the savagery of the saltwater storm surge damaged many valuable spare parts. Money, always tight at warbird museums, got tighter as repairs from Ike drained the coffers. Pilot Doug Peoples says Lonestar would like to replace the nonstandard Plexiglas nose with a new-made standard bubble, but for the moment the multi-thousand dollar cost is out of reach. Economic times have changed Lonestar's flying schedule for Thunderbird, Peoples notes. "We used to do 20 shows a year," recalls. Now, five or six road trips and some local hops constitute a season for the B-17, beset with a scarcity of sponsors to foot the bill. The third Fort at AirVenture is EAA's own B-17G Aluminum Overcast, operating out of Appleton this week to provide rides. Visible overhead throughout the week, the EAA's flagship Fortress is the survivor of its own major rebuilding. And earlier this year, its lower ball turret, a constant source of fascination for visitors, was refurbished to operating condition. There's a common thread running through all three of these Forts at AirVenture. Though youngsters in Flying Fortress years (they are 65 years old), these rare bombers all survive only because of the tireless attention of their crews, and donations from thousands of air show visitors who appreciate seeing these icons of American flight in their element.
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#1. To: X-15 (#0)
When did these guys puss out and change their name from The Confederate Air Force? WWGPD? - (What Would General Pinochet Do?)
In 2002 it changed its name to Commemorative Air Force after a vote of the membership. Many felt the name Confederate Air Force was confusing, did not accurately reflect the purpose of the organization, and was detrimental to fundraising efforts. [5] This name change was deemed by some fans to be a move of political correctness. The reason for the name change as stated by the organization was "Because the word "Confederate" is offensive to some."[6]_wiki
As the old mechanics and pilots age out and die, you're pretty much one bad crash away from a grounding of their little air force. I expect they'll stop flying these altogether in 5-10 years.
I got a chance to walk up to a WWII B-17. For about $200 I could have flown on it. I was amazed at how little it was. No wonder they sent hundreds of them on bombing uns.
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools." - Douglas Adams
IMO that plane was a monument to the stupidity of those that designed and ordered it. This is what thinking with your head up your ass will do. That same mindset gave them interceptors without a gun. God only knows how many died to prove that machine gunners were no substitute for escorts. But Boeing made a fucking fortune. .
Click for Privacy and Preparedness files Live free or Things look small when you don't expect it. It's odd how that works. It's like you have a pic in your mind on how big they should be. I notices the same things with pro wrestlers. I went to see them one time and was shocked to see how small they really were. I was gigantic next to them. .
Click for Privacy and Preparedness files Live free or Then the military had to play around with the Tuskegee Airman. They myth is they were good and lost no bombers. The truth is otherwise. They got specialized training no white pilot ever got, they were the cream of the crop, they faced bottom-of-the-barrel German pilots at the end of the war -- and they still lost planes. Had they faced top-of-the-line Germans, they would have been slaughtered.
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools." - Douglas Adams
The truth is otherwise. True. But they have to say that to improve the self-esteem of the blacks, and the truth be damned. The truth is also that they got that ugly first "lady" white guilter on their side. Those German pilots were the best. Many had over 100 kills, our top ace had 40. Hartman had (iirc) 352 kills. The russians called hin the Black Death, and not because he was a nigger. And to top it off, he was a POW in Russia until the 50's. Few made it out alive, but he did. They all flew until they died or were too injured to continue.
Click for Privacy and Preparedness files Live free or My grandfather was a B-17 mechanic in the India/Burma theater, he was 22 when he went overseas and came home four years later an old man. I'll never forget his war stories, they were exiting for us as kids, but he always managed to work in how horrifying war really was.
"The people in power will not disappear voluntarily, giving flowers to the cops just isn't going to work. This thinking is fostered by the establishment; they like nothing better than love and nonviolence. The only way I like to see cops given flowers is in a flower pot from a high window.” - William S Burroughs
the Commemorative Air Force (CAF)
#2. To: Flintlock (#1)
When did these guys puss out and change their name from The Confederate Air Force?
#3. To: X-15 (#0)
#4. To: X-15 (#0)
#5. To: X-15 (#0)
die kill ~~ Me
God is a separatist. That's good enough for me.
#6. To: Turtle (#4)
(Edited)
I was amazed at how little it was.
die kill ~~ Me
God is a separatist. That's good enough for me.
#7. To: PSUSA (#5)
God only knows how many died to prove that machine gunners were no substitute for escorts. But Boeing made a fucking fortune.
#8. To: Turtle (#7)
(Edited)
Then the military had to play around with the Tuskegee Airman. They myth is they were good and lost no bombers.
die kill ~~ Me
God is a separatist. That's good enough for me.
#9. To: X-15 (#0)
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