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#11
06-13-2011, 09:19 PM
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It was "Liberty Belle" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_Belle_(B-17)
I got a couple of other links at work including some of the airplane in flight shortly before the emergency landing. There is a fire on the lower wing surface well aft of engine #2. It looks like they got it down in the corn field and got out as it flared up. I'm trying to figure out what would cause a fire back there - the images are very reminiscent of those of the Air France Concorde crash. Come to think of it, since that's aft of the main gear on that side, it may well be TOO much like the Concorde crash. I'm having a devil of a time finding those pictures though.....I guess I'll have to fire up the work computer and look for the link there. Added: look at this sequence of pictures - especially #13 and 14. http://dailyherald.com/article/2011...6139915/photos/ It looks like #2 was feathered so the crew thought there was a problem with that engine certainly, even though the fire appears to be well aft. Perhaps from the top the fire was nearer the engine.
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Bernard Cawley NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member SAM 0061 AMA 42160 KG7AIE Last edited by BEC : 06-13-2011 at 09:49 PM. Reason: found 'em.... 
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#12
06-13-2011, 09:25 PM
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The plane was called the "Liberty Belle"
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/new...e_204805-1.html This gives only seven flying B-17's. 
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#13
06-13-2011, 09:52 PM
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the owner of my local hobby shop had a friend who was on the crew of the original El Lobo, which dissapeared. those things all have storys. they are like flying ships, not the mass produced overcomplicated crates today. there are even stories of crewmen using tootsie rolls to plug bullet holes during flights!
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you know those cop shows where they talk about a town and say "Theres alot of known gun owners in this town", why do they act like its a bad thing? Long live the Mars Snooper!
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#14
06-13-2011, 09:55 PM
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Truly sad, but great news that all on board escaped. I flew on the Collings Foundation's "Nine O Nine" B-17 back in 1990. It was $300, but the flight was about 45 minutes long, longer than flights today. Once airborn, you could wander all about the plane, except crawling back into the tail gunner roost. I did some bombing runs, up in the nose, also stuck my head out the top hatch at altitude, for a panoramic view. A truly great memory, and I'd do it again.
Back in 1990, for $500, you'd get copilot seat assignment, and get to fly it for maybe 15 minutes (with pilot ready to jump in at any minute!). They quit doing that awhile back. Collings Foundation come to Fort Collins-Loveland Airport every July 4 weekend, and I've been out numerous times since. I'm tempted to sign up for a B-24 flight The P-51 Mustang flight is a little high at $2200 for a 30 minute ride, but you get a break at a full hour, just $3200 ... 
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Lee Reep NAR 55948 Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold! Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp
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#15
06-13-2011, 10:09 PM
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A real shame. Here in Fort Worth we used to have a B-17 named "Chuckie". Don't know its original name but it had been purchased by a dentist and named after his wife. It was in a hanger here at Mecham Field and they would have hanger dances. I had a "chance" to buy a $300 ride from an airshow at the former Carswell AFB where I was stationed to take a circuit around Fort Worth and back into Mecham. Too rich for this young NCO. The owner passed away a couple of years ago and Chuckie was sold to an air museum in NC or SC last year.
The first non-stop around the world flight was by a B-50 (B-29 with turboprops) that launched and returned to Carswell 50 years ago. Fifi, the last flying B-29 was to be honored at a celebration the past April. I showed up at Base Ops and nada. Fifi flew an unannouced flyby at the now Joint Reserve Base back in May. I was flying rockets with the Dallas club... My dad was a WWII vet in the Pacific. I see obituaries every day here in FW of those who fought in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. I wonder how future generations will honor those who have served in the current conflicts. Chas
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Charles Russell, MSgt,USAF (ret.) NAR 9790, Lvl 1 SAM "Balls Three"
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#16
06-14-2011, 12:01 AM
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I remember watching Liberty Belle fly over my house several times a day when she was in Seattle a few months ago. Really sad to see a piece of history go.
I few in the EAA's B-17, Aluminum Overcast, several years ago. Sitting in the nose turret while flying fairly low over Western Washington forests was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. I was only about twelve or thirteen at the time, so one of the other passengers had to pick me up to let me see out of the open hatch on the roof. I still have a photo somewhere looking back at Seattle over the B-17's tail. I probably didn't stop smiling for a week after the flight  .
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William Carpenter NAR #88972/TRA #14554 Certified Level Three Member: Washington Aerospace Club NAR Section #578 My Site: http://wscrocketry.com Avatar: Madcow Rocketry 4" Little John on a CTI H200BS (cropped and rotated for dramatic effect) Last edited by RedMaxFlyer : 06-14-2011 at 12:02 AM. Reason: Grammar fix.
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#17
06-14-2011, 12:07 AM
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Quote:
Nope. B-50 is a strengthened B-29 with a larger vertical tail and R-4360 four-row radials. http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/b50.html A B-50 was to the 377 Stratocruiser as the B-17 was to the 307 Stratoliner.
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Bernard Cawley NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member SAM 0061 AMA 42160 KG7AIE
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#18
06-14-2011, 06:45 AM
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[QUOTE=LeeRI flew on the Collings I did some bombing runs, up in the nose, also stuck my head out the top hatch at altitude, for a panoramic view. A truly great memory, and I'd do it again.
... [/QUOTE]Yep, that's the best view from the plane IMHO. We did a dozen or so" touch and go's" when we got to Montgomery for the crowd and tv people but by the time we got to about #10 I was ready to put my feet back on a solid surface. It was surprising how much of the exhaust and fuel fumes make it into the back half of the plane on taxi and take off. It quickly clears out after you're wheels up but being back there on the ground had to be rough on the crew at times. Randy www.vernarockets.com
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#19
06-14-2011, 09:07 AM
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Quote:
My Dad and I flew on the Nine-O-Nine when it came to Owens Field during the Celebrate Freedom tour right after 911. We were only allowed to fly over Lake Murray. It was fantastic! I got to help 'prop' the engines. That was A LOT harder than expected, but you could feel how much easier each engine turned over once you went through a few revolutions. About wore me out! I'll never forget it. We were seated below the dorsal turret next to the flight deck for run-up and take off. I remember how surprised I was at how smooth the engines ran together once they were synched up. Like a Sewing Machine! Wow! If you have an opportunity to fly on a B-17 or B-24 or the B-25, Don't pass it up. The grin on your face will last forever! Allen P.S. Randy, there is no nose gear in a B-17! Perhaps you meant the starboard or port LG?
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#20
06-14-2011, 09:11 AM
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Randy,
VERY cool pic of the "909" I do not think the USAF ever used turbo-props in any heavy bomber or any bomber at all. Even the B-36 was powered by piston engines (6 pushers), with later versions augmented with 4 turbine (pure jet) engines with 2 nacelle mounted on each wing tip. They went from Piston Engines to all pure jet (no propeller) power once the B36 retired. The only turbo-prop bomber I'm aware of is the Tu-95 Bear operated by Russia/Former Soviet Union.
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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!! Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't ! Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY. ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !
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