I just saw a B-17 fly over

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I just saw a B-17 fly over

Posted: 6/4/2003 4:49:47 PM EDT

On my way home from work today, I saw a B-17 fly right over me on I-20 in Arlington Texas. It was pretty low, I could hear thos big old reciprocating engines roaring.

Posted: 6/4/2003 4:53:03 PM EDT

[#1]

I wonder if it was a CAF B-17.

Posted: 6/4/2003 7:26:18 PM EDT

[#2]

I also live in Texas.... A few years ago, taking a break on a weekend, I had the pleasure of watching a B-29 and a single engine fighter ( couldn't ID it for sure ) fly side by side over my house. I assumed it was the CAF on their way to a airshow.

Posted: 6/4/2003 11:24:56 PM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
On my way home from work today, I saw a B-17 fly right over me I could hear thos big old reciprocating engines roaring.

Isn't that the coolest sound?!

Posted: 6/5/2003 12:00:53 AM EDT

[#4]

By the way, the Confederate Air Force was forced to change their name to the Consolidated Air Force to be more PC and maintain their corporate sponsorships. Or so I am told.

Posted: 6/5/2003 12:05:52 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
I also live in Texas.... A few years ago, taking a break on a weekend, I had the pleasure of watching a B-29 and a single engine fighter ( couldn't ID it for sure ) fly side by side over my house. I assumed it was the CAF on their way to a airshow.

You sould see the He 111 they have out here. The He 111 is based at Falcon Field in Mesa. Don't know if they still fly the thing.

Posted: 6/5/2003 12:51:12 AM EDT

[#6]

The B-17 makes it's rounds up Maine too. Saw the 24 and the 17 fly through a couple of times. What a sound!

Posted: 6/5/2003 3:54:35 AM EDT

[#7]

my neighbor has 2 radial engine bi-planes that he flys out of his airstrip just south of my house.

i enjoy hearing those pratts and curtis motors snarl.

my ex-f-i-l had about 6 brand new 2-row radial engines, still in the crates, stored down in his barn. i forget what planes they were used on, but those things had to be worth some big bucks.

Posted: 6/5/2003 5:16:41 AM EDT

[#8]

iirc you can "take a ride" on one of the B24s that is touring the country. It was like $350 perperson, and they would stamp your pilots log as well. I was going to pay for my father(who was on one in the Pacific in WWII) to take a flight. He said not only no, but hell no! I still might do it yet...there is nothing like the sound of a radial engine in flight....except the whine of a 962, and the meshing of the gear box.....aaaahhhh the sounds of manhood!

Posted: 6/5/2003 6:17:59 AM EDT

[#9]

Rot, why wouldn't your father take the ride????

Posted: 6/5/2003 7:38:13 AM EDT

[#10]

last time he was on one they were shooting at him! He said when he got off on IeShema in'45 was the last time he would get on a "flying coffin"! He gets "white knuckled" flying commercial! I wanted him HBarski and myself to take a ride...but he declined. BTW they left his plane deserted on IeShema

BTW...this is the same guy that was a pearl Harbor survivor, guess he figures the law of averages are against him!

Posted: 6/5/2003 8:25:12 AM EDT

[#11]

I guess he has a bit of a reason to be hesitant.

Posted: 6/5/2003 8:28:10 AM EDT

[#12]

there is a B-17 down in galvaston at the airport.

Posted: 6/5/2003 11:27:04 AM EDT

[#13]

I live a few miles from Willow Run airport (Where Henry Ford went from a field to producing 1 B-24 an hour in about 2 years in WW2). The Yankee Air Force Museum there has a B-17 they give rides on for $350-450 (not sure). I get to see the B-17 a few times a month. I can't help but look up every time it flys over.

In Aug. they have a big show that draws a little of everything. Migs, Sabers, P-51s, P-47s, P-40s, B-25s, B-26s, and others.

Best entertainment I have taken my boys (2&4 years) to yet. No complaining, just undivided attention to the magical sights and sounds of aviation from years past.

Highly recomend it for anyone in S. MI or N. Ohio.

Kent

Posted: 6/5/2003 1:44:17 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
You sould see the He 111 they have out here. The He 111 is based at Falcon Field in Mesa. Don't know if they still fly the thing.

It's in bad shape. Last I heard they didn't have the cash to fix it properly. They are not as easy to work on as the American designs.

Posted: 6/5/2003 1:47:09 PM EDT

[#15]

iirc, somewhere I have a video of it(HE111) at a local show back in '87. It did a low level bombing run...it was sweeeeet!

Posted: 6/5/2003 3:53:47 PM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Quoted:
You sould see the He 111 they have out here. The He 111 is based at Falcon Field in Mesa. Don't know if they still fly the thing.

It's in bad shape. Last I heard they didn't have the cash to fix it properly. They are not as easy to work on as the American designs.

They used to fly it out at Falcon Field about 12 years ago. At that time it had Allison engines in it. It would be a bummer if it is not airwrothy.

Posted: 6/5/2003 4:05:58 PM EDT

[#17]

The Arizona CAF website indicates the He 111 is still flyable. Their B-17 Sentimental Journey had spar problems years ago.

Posted: 6/6/2003 3:58:33 AM EDT

[#18]

I love going to airshows being visited by the CAF, Blue Angles, or Thunderbirds. Those are the only reasons I will go to an airshow. When I was younger I would go for just about anything, now when I go up to a show especially back at home, I run a good chance of running into someone whose aircraft I worked on at somepoint, and a lot of times they want me to take a look at something for free. 2 probs 1. Unless you are real close family or friend, sorry I don't work for free. 2. I don't want to take a "look" at something and say something one way or the other, then have them make some sort of supid mistake and the family coming back to the feds and saying well he talked to so and so and he said it was ok. This has happened to too many people too many times. Sorry to hijack.

Anyways back on topic 99.999999999% chance that the B-29 you saw was "Fifi" owned and operated by the CAF, and to the best of my knowlege is the only airworty B-29 flying.

Posted: 6/6/2003 5:02:23 AM EDT

[#19]

Speaking of fifi (the B29)....did anybody see that show on PBS a couple years ago about them rescuing the B29 from the artic?....Man, that show nearly had me in tears. (It was the KeeBird iirc)

Posted: 6/6/2003 2:13:20 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
You sould see the He 111 they have out here. The He 111 is based at Falcon Field in Mesa. Don't know if they still fly the thing.

It's in bad shape. Last I heard they didn't have the cash to fix it properly. They are not as easy to work on as the American designs.

They used to fly it out at Falcon Field about 12 years ago. At that time it had Allison engines in it. It would be a bummer if it is not airwrothy.

If it has Allison engines in it that may be why it is flying now. They were built with Daimler-Benz DB-601, 606,610 or Jumo 211 engines.
These engines simply can not be repaired my modern machinery, especially by a private firm with limited funds.

About 10 years ago the British sent several Daimler-Benz engines captured in the war back to the factory to have them overhauled. They had no clue how to repair them. When they looked at the propeller shaft, they refused to even touch it because they said they couldn't reprouce that quality standard even with their most modern machines. Simply, the shaft was to straight for them to reproduce. In the end they found some of the origional workers to come in and do the work. I guess it runs like a top now.

Posted: 6/7/2003 1:04:47 AM EDT

[#21]

DeltaAir - FiFi's pretty neat, have you seen the remote controlled model this guy made. Wingspan is about 15-20 ft. I saw it at an airshow just outside of Atlanta a few years ago.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - I just saw a B-17 fly over

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