B-17 Liberty Bell in Des Moines this weekend. - Aircraft of World War II

Messy1 · 05-29-2009, 02:19 PM

I am usually complaining that nothing pertaining to aviation hardly ever happens here in Des Moines, let alone in Iowa, but this weekend, that is not the case. The B-17 Liberty Bell will be in town this weekend at the Des Moines airport. I will try to get some pics of the plane. We have had WW2 birds on tour land at the Ankeny airport before, and they have allowed people to walk right up to the plane and even look inside, I am hoping Des Moines Airport will allow the same. I''ll post them if I get any.

Messy1 · 06-01-2009, 12:39 PM

I'll be posting some pics today when I can get them resized. I also have a short video of the plane starting up, and taxing out and back in. It was a cool experience. My dad and I went out to the airport, and we talked with three WW2 veterans. One was on the ground grew and worked on B-17's, he asked us if there was anything we wanted to know. The other two gentleman were both gunners in B-17's. One of the gentleman was a tail gunner and had to bail out when his plane's left wing was blown off just past the engines. The other gentleman was a waist gunner and was a very nice fellow. He talked with me and my dad for 15-20 minutes.

Messy1 · 06-01-2009, 03:52 PM

Here's a few photos.

In the last photo in this post, the short/stocky guy is my father. The gentleman behind him is one of the two WW2 gunners we met yesterday. This man is the one who had to bail out of his plane when the wing was blown off. He was a very nice guy, talked with us a little bit.

Messy1 · 06-01-2009, 03:55 PM

4th photo down is me.
The 5th photo is the WW2 tailgunner who was forced to bail out.
Last photo is my father Steve who worked on the flight deck of the USS Ranger in Vietnam.

Messy1 · 06-01-2009, 04:25 PM

These photos are of a couple tanks, artillery cannon, and a A7 that sits outside of Camp Dodge Guard Base north of Des Moines, Iowa. It is on a nice scenic stop that overlooks the whole base. Anyone id these vehicles?
Before 9-11, civilians were able to drive around and through the base, my dad and I used to drive around and look at the tanks, trucks, and artillery. Now everything is blocked off and no one is allowed entrance other than military personal.

Messy1 · 06-01-2009, 04:37 PM

It was extremely cool to talk with the 3 WW2 vets. Felt very humbled in their presence.

Catch22 · 06-01-2009, 05:22 PM

Great photos, thanks!

Micdrow · 06-01-2009, 05:28 PM

Great shots Messy, many thanks.

pbfoot · 06-01-2009, 05:50 PM

nice work

Messy1 · 06-01-2009, 06:03 PM

I got a shot there for Evan too. He informed me that radials do not leak, they mark their territory, wanted to show him that I learned my lesson, and please noticed the marked territory on the ground by my feet.

Gnomey · 06-01-2009, 06:25 PM

Good stuff Bryon!

ToughOmbre · 06-01-2009, 06:40 PM

Thanks for sharing those pics Messy.

TO

snafud1 · 06-09-2009, 03:56 AM

Yeah, definitely good pics. Thanks for sharing.

05-29-2009, 02:19 PM	#1
Messy1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ankeny, Iowa Posts: 1,411	B-17 Liberty Bell in Des Moines this weekend. I am usually complaining that nothing pertaining to aviation hardly ever happens here in Des Moines, let alone in Iowa, but this weekend, that is not the case. The B-17 Liberty Bell will be in town this weekend at the Des Moines airport. I will try to get some pics of the plane. We have had WW2 birds on tour land at the Ankeny airport before, and they have allowed people to walk right up to the plane and even look inside, I am hoping Des Moines Airport will allow the same. I''ll post them if I get any. __________________ Bryon O P-61 Black Widow-Mistress of the Night! "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." George S. Patton "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away."

06-01-2009, 12:39 PM	#2
Messy1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ankeny, Iowa Posts: 1,411	I'll be posting some pics today when I can get them resized. I also have a short video of the plane starting up, and taxing out and back in. It was a cool experience. My dad and I went out to the airport, and we talked with three WW2 veterans. One was on the ground grew and worked on B-17's, he asked us if there was anything we wanted to know. The other two gentleman were both gunners in B-17's. One of the gentleman was a tail gunner and had to bail out when his plane's left wing was blown off just past the engines. The other gentleman was a waist gunner and was a very nice fellow. He talked with me and my dad for 15-20 minutes. __________________ Bryon O P-61 Black Widow-Mistress of the Night! "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." George S. Patton "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away."

06-01-2009, 04:37 PM	#6
Messy1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ankeny, Iowa Posts: 1,411	It was extremely cool to talk with the 3 WW2 vets. Felt very humbled in their presence. __________________ Bryon O P-61 Black Widow-Mistress of the Night! "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." George S. Patton "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away." Last edited by Messy1; 06-01-2009 at 05:37 PM.

06-01-2009, 05:22 PM	#7
Catch22 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 4,293	Great photos, thanks! __________________

06-01-2009, 05:28 PM	#8
Micdrow “Archive” Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,852	Great shots Messy, many thanks. __________________ "Valor does not mean Hero."

06-01-2009, 05:50 PM	#9
pbfoot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: niagara falls Posts: 5,588	nice work

06-01-2009, 06:03 PM	#10
Messy1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Ankeny, Iowa Posts: 1,411	I got a shot there for Evan too. He informed me that radials do not leak, they mark their territory, wanted to show him that I learned my lesson, and please noticed the marked territory on the ground by my feet. __________________ Bryon O P-61 Black Widow-Mistress of the Night! "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." George S. Patton "Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government." "Oh but if I went 'round sayin' I was Emperor, just because some moistened bint lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away."

06-01-2009, 06:25 PM	#11
Gnomey "World Traveller" Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 15,224	Good stuff Bryon! __________________ "Success is not Final, Failure is not Fatal, it is the Courage to Continue that Counts" Sir Winston Churchill "To him the People of the World Largely owe the Freedom and Liberties they Enjoy Today" Enscription on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-40) statue in London WW2 Talk: A WW2 Discussion Forum My Photo Collections on Flickr

06-01-2009, 06:40 PM	#12
ToughOmbre Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 3,233	Thanks for sharing those pics Messy. TO __________________ *“Let's get Enterprise* and Hornet turned into the wind."**

06-09-2009, 03:56 AM	#13
snafud1 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mattoon, IL Posts: 451	Yeah, definitely good pics. Thanks for sharing. __________________

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