B-17 Photos

[tinmanzzz]

Had a fly in and thought you might enjoy these Photos (May take a while to load)

One thing for sure, the men who flew them were a lot younger and thinner than I am. LOL

 

[GWD]

Great shots! Nice Optimo too! Thanks for sharing!

 

[dhermann1]

Excellent taste in bombers, hats, shirts and women!
Thanks for posting.
Saw a B-17 fly over many years ago. An awesome experience for both eyes and ears.
Edit: Interesting to peruse those instruments. Obviously some are jet age replacements.

 

[indycop]

Wow these are great photos!!:eusa_clap You should have an 8x10 of the one with you and your wife, that's a great one.

 

[tinmanzzz]

Aluminum Overcast

If you will notice Her name is Aluminum Overcast. Went she was in service, there would be so many B-17's that it would block the Sun.
Can you see 200+ of these "Ladys" flying in. Time to watch the "Memphis Bell"

 

[Hondo]

Excellent taste in bombers, hats, shirts and women!
Thanks for posting.
Saw a B-17 fly over many years ago. An awesome experience for both eyes and ears.
Edit: Interesting to peruse those instruments. Obviously some are jet age replacements.

Haa! beat me to the punch on that! "hats, shirts and women!"
Agree, great photos, I saw this one (plane) earlier this year, cool and I take nothing away from you but I prefer the B-17 G's, even rode in one, just think what history would have said had we these babies The Aluminum Overcast earlier in the war.
Thanks for sharing :eusa_clap

 

[dhermann1]

Just out of curiosity, what did the G have that its predecessors didn't? Would it have made up sufficiently for the lack of fighter escort, which was the real Achilles heel in our bombing program?
Hey, she's got a Ruptured Duck, too!

 

[Hondo]

Not being an authority, I think its insulation, and better equipment (radio, guns) the “G” and others were quickly built, hallow like as a tin can ( I admire all those who took to the skies in these) only pilot’s cockpit had heaters, the rest had to bundle up, freezing cold at higher altitudes, The “G” was loud inside and out, as for fighter escorts, I don't believe so, because at the time, we didn't have fighters (fuel) that could go farther with bombers until the P-51's came in, not sure but I think so, I could use some help on this from other members in the know.

 

[Hondo]

Overcast T-Shirt

These were nice as well as cool

 

[Hondo]

Hey, she's got a Ruptured Duck, too!

Thats great design,
My Dad gave me his pin,
South Pacific Theater,
Navy Destroyer escort.

 

[PuLpO]

thx for pics they are verry nice

 

[StraightEight]

I flew in Aluminum Overcast at the Oshkosh Fly-in a few years ago. The plane is maintained by the Experimental Aircraft Association and is a G model that was produced too late to see service. It's a real thrill to sit in the bombardier's chair and see those four Wright Cyclone R-1820s spinning behind you.

 

[StraightEight]

Just out of curiosity, what did the G have that its predecessors didn't? Would it have made up sufficiently for the lack of fighter escort, which was the real Achilles heel in our bombing program?
Hey, she's got a Ruptured Duck, too!

The Luftwaffe figured out fairly quickly that the nose was the weakest point, armament-wise, and staged its attacks head on. Taking out the bombardier and cockpit crew was the quickest and most effective way to disable the ship as the -17s rugged construction--particularly the stout Warren Truss wing spar, lack of hydraulics, self-sealing "Tokyo" fuel tanks and, later, self-sealing oil tanks--made the -17 more resistant to cannon fire and flak than the B-24.

The most notable difference in the G model, which first flew in June '43, was the addition of the chin turret with its twin 50 cal guns. Also, the Studebaker-built Wright R-1820s had larger cylinder fin area for better cooling and a different supercharger system. Instead of the low-ratio General Electric supercharger, a single-speed supercharger developed in-house by Wright was fitted that was more efficient. Horsepower went from 1000 in the F model to 1200.

 

[p51]

Great shots! :eusa_clap
I have never flown on that specific B-17 but I have sat in her radio room while taxiing before. That's almost as good. I've seen almost all the existing B-17s in the world and have flown in plenty of WW2 aircraft over the years, here are some photos:

Me, front row, far right:

 

[fr8dog]

great pics! thanks for posting