Aircraft PicturesDiscuss B-17 fun in the World War II - Aviation forums; Seens how every one seems to be enjoying the Lancaster fun posting's I thought I would start one for ...
Seens how every one seems to be enjoying the Lancaster fun posting's I thought I would start one for the B-17. The B-17's shown are the EAA's B-17 Aluminum Cloud and the Commerative Airforce B-17 Thunderbird
I am glad they got Aluminum Overcast fixed without too much trouble. I have been through several of the surviving B-17s:
Sally B
Aluminum Overcast
Fuddy Duddy
Nine-O-Nine
Sentimental Journey
Miss Angela
Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda.
Thanks. Miss Angela is based at the Palm Springs Air Museum. It has been pretty active on the airshow circuit this year. Here is a shot of Miss Angela in flight.
Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda.
Thanks for sharing the picture, Ive never seen that B-17 before, I hope one year it comes to the EAA
On another note you are correct on the name it is Aluminum Overcast. For years I grew up and my friends and I couldnt stand the name. We called it Aluminum Cloud. Sounded better to us I guess for I cant remeber the reason why we called it that. Its been stuck with me ever since.
Like you said though it's great to see it airborn again. It was damaged pretty good. The ball turrent rod forced through the top of the plane. 4 engines damaged along with prop's. Lot of the bottom fuselage bent up. Was talking to one of the mechanic's when it was still being repaired at last years airshow and he said it was also a kinda blessing. Because it was forced to be down for a while they where able to spend more time on some of the minor details of restoration so it looks more and more like a factory fresh B-17. The photos i took where before the crash. If they where able to paint and restore more on the inside I bet it looks even more amazing now.
I'll bet it does. I remember when they had the incident, it was not far from where I live. They will never say it, but someone in the cockpit flipped the gear up switch. I know too many former B-17 pilots and mechanics for any other explanation to work. That just doesn't happen. But it was good that no one got hurt and the plane was reparable. Many times when that happens, the ball turret support literally breaks the airplane's back and it's a write off. They were very fortunate.
Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda.
Yeah I know after they found out that she could be repaired it was kind of a running joke around the museum that the EAA had the largest squadron of flyably B-17's based and sponsored by one museum in one location. A wopping 2.
Fuddy Duddy and Alumium Overcast
I was hoping Fuddy Duddy would have returned this year under there new owners but no such luck. Hopefully she will return on year.
I am glad they got Aluminum Overcast fixed without too much trouble. I have been through several of the surviving B-17s:
Sally B
Aluminum Overcast
Fuddy Duddy
Nine-O-Nine
Sentimental Journey
Miss Angela
I have you beat......
Ive flown in Nine-O-Nine!
__________________ "Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?"
__________________ "I had ten rockets on board, and as I wasn't particularly fond of head-on attacks, I salvoed the whole lot at him. The rockets didn't hit him but but they must have scared the bejesus out of him, for he did a steep turn to starboard... I let him have the full blast, all eight fifty-calibers. I had never seen an aircraft completely disintegrate in the air the way this Me-110 did..."
Bill Dunn, 406th Fighter Group
How I'd like to fly in a B-17. Is it as loud as they say it is inside?
Its the noisiest in the rear. Thats where you get the full effect of the noise from the engines. I wouldnt be surprised if waist gunners were partially deafened.
One thing I noticed is how much vibration there was.
__________________ "Pilot to copilot..... what are those mountain goats doing up here in the clouds?"
Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda.
I will still take flying over riding along any day. I would like to get up in a B-17 one of these days, and volunteering at the CAF will probably give me that opportunity. But the chances of getting any stick time in the 17 are pretty slim.
Wherever their bones may lie, the courage of heroes is consecrated in the hearts and engraved in the history of the free. Lt Col Honner DSO MC, 39th Commander speaking of the dead from the battle of Kokoda.
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