A fine day at work...

[one-eyed fat man]

Great day at work, 'Aluminum Overcast' is on our ramp today giving rides. Four Curtiss-Wright R-1820 Cyclones turning money and avgas into a glorious noise. The sobering thing to remember this Memorial Day is ten crewman flew in this, unpressurized, unheated airplane at 25,000 to 30,000 feet facing fighters, flak and frostbite in daylight raids over Germany. Half of the U.S. Army Air Force's casualties in World War II were suffered by Eighth Air Force (more than 47,000 casualties, with more than 26,000 dead). A Marine Corps infantryman in the Pacific had better odds.


https://www.milsurps.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=100563&d=1558450550

https://www.milsurps.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=100564&d=1558450579

[Wheelguns 1961]

Cool! Did they let you shoot the guns? Just kidding.

[Winger Ed.]

Gosh those things are impressive.
My father in law was the Crew Chief on one in the Pacific when he worked for Gen. MacArther.

He talked of how laying down up in the nose on landing was great fun.
Changing tires or an engine with hand tools and manual cranes & winches on Marston matting-- not so much.


Can't imagine the sense of doom that was felt when hundreds of them came and unloaded over a European city.

I read a autobiography from a German fighter pilot that talked of attacking box formations of them.
He made his attacks looking at the wrong end of the barrels attached to 72, fifty caliber Browning machine guns.

[fatnhappy]

My Uncle Jack served in the 8th Air Force until 1943, at which point he was discharged to attend the USMA. He was a particularly lucky man.
I love those old war horses.

[RED BEAR]

I was going to say no good day's at work but i stand corrected. Thats just plain cool.

[lightman]

[QUOTE=Winger Ed.; I read a autobiography from a German fighter pilot that talked of attacking box formations of them.
He made his attacks looking at the wrong end of the barrels attached to 72, fifty caliber Browning machine guns.[/QUOTE]

I realize that those guys were our enemies but you have to respect their bravery and determination. They fought for what they believed in just like we did.

Those are some really cool pictures. Thanks for posting them.

[skeettx]

THIS is what makes America Great Again

Well done, well done

Mike

[sparkyv]

The B-17 was a beautiful machine. Did you get a ride, one-eyed?

[RedlegEd]

All. If you're interested in B17s, this Thursday, 5/23 there will be a one time showing of the movie/documentary called Cold Blue (https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/aviation/a27442948/cold-blue-b17-documentary/) about the B17 and men who flew them in WW2. Here's the official trailer. I've already reserved my tickets. Ed


https://youtu.be/GaynFMDdNsk

[Winger Ed.]

I realize that those guys were our enemies but you have to respect their bravery and determination. They fought for what they believed in just like we did..

It's an important thing in war to demonize the enemy. It makes killing them much easier.

But yeah, they served in the military of their country when called upon to do it, just like us.


Even at almost 400 miles per hour, I wouldn't want to head towards one fire breathing .50BMG.
Facing 72 of them in tight formation would make for some real serious 'pucker factor'.
When I got back, they'd have to hoist that chair up from the bottom, and wait until I finally dropped off.

[AllanD]

When you have 72 + 50cal machine guns shooting at you, you start thinking of blind Squirrels, all those gunners cannot be both bad shots AND unlucky

And even if most of them were totally blind you as the attacker only have to be unlucky ONCE to find yourself on a collision course with that famous "Golden BB".

I once did a statistical analysis that supported the idea that if the bombers flew a mission without 50cal ammo that 20 or so German fighter pilots would still die that particular day from "operational" causes, Engine failure on takeoff or landing mishaps, etc...


Because flying in those propeller driven combat aircraft was INHERENTLY dangerous, without the added danger of people actually shooting at you with heavy automatic weapons.

HBO has confirmed they are working on a miniseries like "Band of Brothers" & "The Pacific", Produced by Tom Hanks and Stephen Spieberg
titled "The Mighty Eighth" about.. well I don't need to explain it do I?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_L._Miller#Masters_of_the_Air

It has been in production since 2013...

[Land Owner]

It is a delight to live near the approach end of TICO airport in Port St. John FL. Each year for three days in the month of March, the TICO Warbird Airshow attracts some uniquely restored and lovingly flown aircraft. I especially like the P-51 Mustangs.

When I was a boy, growing up on a lake immediately south of the Sanford, FL Naval Air Station, the Vietnam bound fighter pilots flew their jets (Skyhawk, Prowler, Phantom, Corsair, Crusader, to name a few) around and around the lake while training for Carrier duty as touch-and-go landings...as a result, I love jet engine noise and those roaring Rolls Royce and Packard built Merlin engines!!!

[Finster101]

Looks like one very nice day in E-town.