duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Share #1 Posted January 8, 2007 Over the summer, my grandpa, my dad, and I went out to an airshow. I can't remember the name of the Foundation that sets these up, but I'm sure most of you have seen these planes before. Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #2 Posted January 8, 2007 Next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #3 Posted January 8, 2007 Next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #4 Posted January 8, 2007 Me and Grandpa next to the old bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #5 Posted January 8, 2007 next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #6 Posted January 8, 2007 Dad and Grandpa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #7 Posted January 8, 2007 We got grandpa into one of the planes, I think the B-17. I took this as he was saying something like, "They used to make these planes a lot wider!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #8 Posted January 8, 2007 This is close as you can get to flying the thing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted January 8, 2007 Share #9 Posted January 8, 2007 nice pictures. they are nice and clear. and the planes are real beauties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk914 Posted January 8, 2007 Share #10 Posted January 8, 2007 Groovy shots! These three birds are part of the Collings Foundation collection. The B-17 is named 'Nine-O-Nine' in honor of a ship from the 323rd BS, 91st BG which completed 140 missions without an abort or loss of a crewman. Here's a grungy image of the original 'Nine-O-Nine'... The B-24 is named 'Withcraft' in honor of a 790th BS, 467th BG ship which flew 130 missions, also without an abort or loss or injury of any crewmember. You can see some photos of the original 'Witchcraft' HERE and HERE. The B-25 is named 'Tondelayo' in honor of a ship from the 500th BS, 345th BG. You can learn more about the original 'Tondelayo', as well as the 500th BS, HERE. Those interior shots were taken inside of the B-24... and I know what your Grandfather meant when he joked that they used to make 'em wider. Walking around in those things is quite an experience to the uninitiated. I recall going through the B-24 at the Air Force Museum and thinking to myself, "I'm wearing a T-shirt and shorts and having a bit of trouble getting through some spots here... how'n'hell'd they do it with all that gear on back then?" Really makes you think of what a different and special breed those fellas were... Thanks for posting these shots! Fade to Black... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duarte1223 Posted January 8, 2007 Author Share #11 Posted January 8, 2007 Blackwolf, Thanks for posting those! The only problem I had in those planes was the height. I'd expect such a huge machine to have a little more headroom for my 6'4" frame. Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted January 8, 2007 Share #12 Posted January 8, 2007 there's just something about a b-17 that gets me. they are real heros of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilles F. Posted January 8, 2007 Share #13 Posted January 8, 2007 Ah man, it must have been horrible if your plane got hit and started spinning ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk914 Posted January 9, 2007 Share #14 Posted January 9, 2007 Blackwolf, Thanks for posting those! The only problem I had in those planes was the height. I'd expect such a huge machine to have a little more headroom for my 6'4" frame. Adam No problemo! Here's a link to some made by a couple'a guys who are closely involved with these ships. I really like the 'Bombers Forever', 'Barnstorming Bombers' and 'Wings of Freedom' vids. There's also some vids with period footage. Good stuff! And yeah, the headroom is nonexistant in most places inside of those beasts. Ah man, it must have been horrible if your plane got hit and started spinning ... That's something I'd not want to even think about experiencing... had to be hell to have been in that kind of situation, not much room to move around to begin with, pinned against the inside of the fuselage with all that extra weight of the flight suits and gear, Mr. Centrifugal Force adding it all up and then multiplying by who knows how much... trying desperately to get out but all the time knowing that 'this is it'. And yet some lucky fellas managed to survive despite the odds stacked against them... Fade to Black... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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