B-24 & B-17

[Andykev]

I am posting some photos sent to me by my twin brother when he visited the B-24 and the B-17 when they were in the Bay Area. Enjoy. He goes for a ride each year in the planes, despite the $350 price.

 

[Sergei]

This year the prices are $400.

 

[PrettyBigGuy]

I heard on the radio that the B-17 had a landing gear collapse whiles landing in Van Nuys today.

Take a look: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/050504_nw_b17_crash_lands.html
The article says that no one was hurt, which is good news, but I hope the plane is okay too!
PBG

 

[MK]

Actually....that is really bad reporting.

That is GREATLY exaggerated. The pilot made a beautiful landing. When the plane was almost stopped..... the gear collapsed.

How this guy gets "belly landing" out of it, I don't know.

 

[Bogie1943]

Well, MK, you know the media now-a-days. Even though I work in the media myself, and I love doing the work, you get to see how some people who work in this industry can just weave their words wrong to mislead people and they won't even know it.:cool2:

 

[STHill]

If any of you guys have never seen these planes when they come around, you're missing out. You get to walk around inside the plane, take pictures. Even if you don't go for a flight (I didn't) it's quite a memorable experience.

I've seen Aluminum Overcast (the B-17) twice. Absolutely fascinating! I don't think there was a charge just to tour the inside. If it was, it was minimal.

Again, if either of these planes is ever anywhere close by, don't miss it.

 

[Andykev]

Plane Crash

From the looks of the shadows under the wingtips, it looks like the B-17 is still on it's gear. When one of the gear's collapse, the outboard tip is farther down. Usually the gear collapse bends the props and dents the cowel's on the nacelles. But, maybe the plane at this point is already jacked up on a tug, as they gotta open up the runways ASAP. Either way, damage to such a nice warbird is $$$$$$.

 

[Michael Mallory]

I was in Santa Monica, baby-sitting the kids of my best friend, when we were out walking their dog and one of these planes passed overhead. At the time, I did not realize they were making the circuit. I just thought I was having a very strange, ultra-deja-vu experience.

 

[imported_the_librarian]

We were at Dayton a few years ago when the did the flyover with the B-25, B-24, B-17 AND the B-29 Quite impressive. They had some new planes there, but gosh, I don't remember what those were!

We saw Aluminum Overcast also, Gotta love this shot:

Can't image riding in that bottom turret.

 

[Diamondback]

Even worse would be ending up stuck in there--if the gear wouldn't extend and the turret locked up and wouldn't rotate to "exit" position as sometimes happened... Well, sorry, but the plane and the majority of the crew's survival outweighs one poor little ball-turret gunner. "Sucks to be you" in that situation...