Thursday, October 17, 2013
B-17G Walk-Around
I was lucky enough to get up close and personal with the Collings Foundation's Boeing B-17G, "Nine O Nine"
This is one of ten B-17s that still fly, out of 12,731 that were built during World War Two.
Note the distinctive chin turret (above) that the G model was known for. This was added because German fighter pilots had learned that the best way to kill a B-17 was a head-on attack aimed at taking out the pilots and bombardier.
Above and below, close-up views of the Wright R-1820-97 "Cyclone" turbosupercharged radial engines. These put out 1,200 hp each.
This aircraft could cruise at 182mph and had a range of 2,000 miles, allowing it to take the fight anywhere in Germany.
Now that's a tire (above). Below is the ball turret that protected the belly of the aircraft, and other aircraft when flown in formation.
Starboard waist gun (above), twin tail guns (below). The B-17G sported 13 .50 M2 air-cooled machine guns.
Starting the starboard inboard engine. (Above). Taxiing out (below).
A sight that I'm sure many Germans remember.
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Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOh man, now I've fallen in love all over again!
ReplyDeleteMy dad was a bombardier in one of those during WWII. He and his entire crew made all 25 (or were they up to 30 at that point?) missions without losing a crewmember. Pretty unusual.
ReplyDeleteThe very first time I went to the airshow at the Planes of Fame museum in Chino, I saw a B-17 fly-by escorted by four P-51's.
ReplyDeleteMan, talk about MUSIC!
Nice!
ReplyDeleteGreat pics, thanks for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteMovies and tv shows made the cockpit seem large. Not hardly. Very tight quarters. In fact, the whole interior seems like it's 3/4 scale, compared to the screen image. Bit of a shock, after growing up with it on screen. Hollywood screws up almost everything! Sigh...
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