Speaking of B-17's

A few short years after my Grandfather passed I was looking online for information regarding his plane, the "Homesick Angel". Anyhow he was a tailgunner on Rodgers crew which flew over on Maluku Maui (Tech Supply) and flew the commanders bird (HA) due to the MM needing parts and subsequently getting parted out, hence the rename Tech Supply. They took the Homesick Angel over Regensburg and returned bombing Bordeaux. They could not load enough fuel in North Africa and ran out of gas on approach to Knettishall. They crash landed the Homesick Angel, destroying her. He died never knowing that his aircraft name and number was used on the Offutt AFB static display.

Aaron

Gotta chime in here. Back about 20 years ago, when I was a splicer for the phone company, just after Memorial day, I got a chance of a lifetime to see a B-17 in flight. I was on a pole, about 15 miles or so from Martin State Airport, which is located on the east side of Baltimore. The Confederate Air Force had a gathering of old war birds there over the Memorial day weekend, and a Flying Fort took off from there that morning. The thing that made it so special was the pole I was on was across the road from a place called "Model Farm", owned at the time by an old friend, and is still one of the most scenic farms in the area. I heard the humm of it's engines long before I could see the plane, and knew the sound of those big P&W radials from the service, even though I was a submariner. After a minute of hearing the first noise, she lumbered into sight over Ben's pasture and bean field, at about 1000' and maybe 150 mph, slowly clawing for altitude, and passed by me no more than about 500' from where I was. Looked a lot like the one in the picture, guns bristling, and olive drab paint. It was almost like my personal parade by the machine- absolutely beautiful weather, blue sky, and phenominal landscape- and the tired old girl making one of her last runs as one of a dying breed. My biggest regret that day was not having enough time to get down to the truck compartment where there were some cameras, for it was surely an award winning picture she'd have made. But the picture she made in my mind will never dim until I do.

An old family friend invited my wife and I to the "Gathering of the Mustangs" a few years ago in Columbus, OH. What a treat to see all those perfectly preserved old planes. Much as I love old tractors, there's something really special about the planes the "Greatest Generation" flew.

Interesting story...there's something about those old WWII "Warbirds" that is sure fascinating...even to me and I was B-47 "Stratojet" jet bomber mechanic and crew chief. I seen both B-17's and B-24's fly but never bought a ride yet on one....mebbe someday....
Incidently, not trying to be a smartass but the B-17's had Wright Cyclone engines, the B-24's had Pratt @ Whitney's. Both about the same horsepower and size though.

This particular plane (or what it was painted to represent) made history because after passing through Regensburg they realized that they did not have enough gas and were going to have to ditch in the Med. After leaving the target, the navigator set a course different than the squadron route. He chose a more direct path that, while exposing them to more AA, would ensure that they would have a better chance of making it. So upon landing in North Africa they started clambering out. It was then that a band struck up and a celebration began. It took a while to figure out that they had been the first to land and therefore were supposed to be General Curtis Lemay. Imagine a military band and parade for a skinny NC sharecropper!

Aaron