rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #26 Posted October 26, 2014 Over the California coastline... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #27 Posted October 26, 2014 It's hard to describe the exhilaration I felt hanging out of the top hatch at 200 MPH with a P-51 circling all around! (That's the 118 Freeway below.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #28 Posted October 26, 2014 Another...over the Pacific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #29 Posted October 26, 2014 Ok, one more... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #30 Posted October 26, 2014 John doing what he does best! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #31 Posted October 26, 2014 Looking out the nose over the bomb sight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #32 Posted October 26, 2014 Over the Queen Mary in Long Beach... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #33 Posted October 26, 2014 Another iconic WWII image as we flew over the USS Iowa moored in San Pedro... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USdog Posted October 26, 2014 Share #34 Posted October 26, 2014 Wow! What an awesome experience. I would love to have the chance to fly in a B-17... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #35 Posted October 26, 2014 Airfield in the distance... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #36 Posted October 26, 2014 Waist gunner 50 cal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #37 Posted October 26, 2014 Getting a bead on the Pacific Ocean... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #38 Posted October 26, 2014 Navigator's desk... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #39 Posted October 26, 2014 Just to bring me back into reality, there's a picture of the original Memphis Belle crew attached to a bulkhead in the radio room. What a sobering reminder of why I have it so good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #40 Posted October 26, 2014 The nose... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted October 26, 2014 Share #41 Posted October 26, 2014 Wow, you are a regular photojournalist! This had to be the experience of a lifetime. thanks for bringing us along! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #42 Posted October 26, 2014 What a beautiful warbird! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 26, 2014 Author Share #43 Posted October 26, 2014 Thank you John for a day I'll never forget! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawberry 9 Posted October 26, 2014 Share #44 Posted October 26, 2014 Great photos. Curious, is there any history for this specific B-17 that is now masquerading as the Memphis Belle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted October 27, 2014 Share #45 Posted October 27, 2014 As in its original history? That'd be interesting to know, for sure. Great pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share #46 Posted October 27, 2014 Thank you for your responses Strawberry 9, US Dog, Bugme and Garandomatic. Strawberry 9 and Garandomatic, if you go to the Liberty Foundation's website (www.libertyfoundation.org) they do have a fair amount of information about the history of the airplane prior to its modification for the movie in 1990. Just look for the "B-17 History" tab on the left side of the home page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garandomatic Posted October 27, 2014 Share #47 Posted October 27, 2014 Thanks for that. Some of my happiest memories of being a kid involved my dad taking me all over the place, usually on the motorcycle to see the B-17s that would be here and there on tour. Never saw this one, though. Local paper apparently thought it would be a good idea to publish a story about it after it had already left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garandman114 Posted October 27, 2014 Share #48 Posted October 27, 2014 Great photos! This is timely as I just rode in the Movie Memphis Belle today, and what a ride it was! Surprisingly, nobody on my flight bothered climbing in the bombardier's position after the first five minutes of exploration, and I got an incredible view from the nose for the duration of the flight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustywings Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share #49 Posted October 27, 2014 Great photos! This is timely as I just rode in the Movie Memphis Belle today, and what a ride it was! Surprisingly, nobody on my flight bothered climbing in the bombardier's position after the first five minutes of exploration, and I got an incredible view from the nose for the duration of the flight! Hey Garandman, it's good to hear other Forum members have had the chance to experience this thrill as well! If you took any pictures, please feel free to post them here. Some of the things that stood out during my flight are: The high pitch whine and deep-seeded rumbling as that first engine came to life; The steady increase in vibration as each engine joined the serenade; The black exhaust from the massive engines billowing past the waist windows; The distinctive and harmonious "purr" in flight; The mixed feelings of power and vulnerability while moving from one gunners station to another; The smell of rubber from the tires when setting back down; And the pride I felt for my Dad knowing he had experienced these same sensations under much different circumstances in 1945... Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mghcal Posted October 27, 2014 Share #50 Posted October 27, 2014 Really cool photos thanks for posting so many! Getting to wander around the plane while it's in flight must've been quite the experience I'm sure I'm not the only one who's a bit jealous Too cool and congrats on getting to experience the flight of a lifetime! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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