By Robert Emslie
The Boeing B-17 earned the name Flying Fortress due to its all-seeing gun emplacements. A low-wing tail dragger, the heavy bomber also earned a reputation for sturdiness and the ability to shrug off damage, many returning from missions riddled with shrapnel holes or missing sizable sections of their tails.
The early planes were most often painted in an olive drab camouflage, but the paint to cover a plane of this size can weigh as much a single bomb and later planes – like the one in this amazing nose-on shot – eschewed paint other than on the reflective surfaces visible from the cockpit. Somehow, that just makes the B-17 look even more awesome.
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Jeff Glucker
Is that the B-17 named “Sentimental Journey”? The one that lives at Falcon Field in Mesa AZ at the Commemorative Air Force Museum, that they often let people crawl through during shows and stuff and it flies around to air shows? if so, i have crawled through it once and cant imagine what those boys went through during the war, RESPECT to them always!
According to the photographer’s website, yes it is.
http://brentcphotography.photoshelter.com/image?&_bqG=2&_bqH=eJyLdM0z880OLPEMLPA2SsmxdPfS9SuP8q3Iz3S0MrYyNbAyNAACK894l2DneEc_F9sSNTDbNjg1ryQzF0gk5mh75ZcW5aVWagOlQoNdg.I9XWxDQdoCHM0tCyxyTCJdfdXiHZ1DbItTE4uSMwA2gCQb&GI_ID=
hey good research, thanks. if you ever get the chance, crawl through one.
I have.
These have to be my favourite American planes of all time. I’m in no way an aero buff, but when watching movies and viewing in museum, these just seem to garner more respect than everything else. I just think they look right, with just a nice mix antiquity, solidity, and an aura of power.
(There is a reason why I specify American. There is only one plane that tops the Fortress for me, and that is the Avro Arrow, for patriotic reasons).
WW2 bombers… I have so many random associations with the very idea of them.
First is being a kid in a toy store and seeing a boxed model of the Flying Fortress. The box was in a wide aspect ratio, like 16:9 or something, with a portrait of the B-17 that touched all 4 corners and made it look like it was the size of the moon; crew of miniscule men swimming around behind the plexiglas. Though, with a 100 foot wingspan it’s smaller than a C-130 Hercules. I eventually built a P-51, thinking I would work my way up.
Then there’s The Death Of The Ball Turret Gunner, which is a short read, but too bleak to be quoted here. I can’t look at a ball turret without that running through my head.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_the_Ball_Turret_Gunner
Growing up in the Cold War, the B-52 was simultaneously a New Wave band, a ridiculous cocktail, and I was assured our nation’s first line of defense, resolutely patrolling the stratosphere to keep us safe. After the cold war, it became apparent the B52 was a retrofitted anachronism… sorta like the Cold War.
Then there was the Kee Bird, a B-29 that was the subject of a documentary I watched in a receptive mood, and thought was the most tragic, heartwrenching true story I ever saw on PBS.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/military/b29-frozen.html
A decade later I re-watched it and saw that, really, the guy in charge was an irresponsible cowboy jackass in it for the glory and should be shot for what he did. The mechanic died of hard work and the plane burnt up on the ground, all avoidable. What an ass.
And overriding everything is the ultimate WW2 bomber story, Catch-22. All bomber squadrons are made up of Yossarians and Snowdens and Orrs.
WW2 bombers, it turns out, are kind of depressing, and a bit of a disappointment.
Ball turrets were not the death traps you think they were. Ball turret gunners actually had a higher survival rate than several other crew members because they had one of the quickest bail out paths, basically put the turret at maximum elevation, hit the emergency door release and fall free of the plane. Cockpit and nose crews actually had it worse once the Germans started attacking head on.
I’ve been in the back half of a B17 on the ground and it amazes me that people flew in these at high altitude for hours on end.
As I understand it, the first iteration of the ball turret was hydraulic, and there were planes that came in with their hydraulics all shot up, and couldn’t get the poor devil out of the plane’s belly or put down the landing gear, and had to fly around and around until it was a choice to either belly flop the plane and scrape the ball turret gunner off or run out of fuel and kill the whole crew.
But they fixed that after a few.
Guess they all coudn’t do this from Amazing Stories.
http://www.entropia.pl/sabianskie/userpix/2_027_2.jpg
Man, blast from the past. I remember watching that on tv back in the day.
I got through about half the series a few years ago on Netflix. Not sure if it is still on there or not.
So I saw this article today and am now in Full Want Mode: http://inhabitat.com/morgan-unveils-an-all-electric-3-wheeler-that-keeps-its-vintage-charm/
Aerial photography is a fantastic business…it baffles me how they managed to get this sharp, close enough and just plainly as beautiful as it is.
Also: Ever seen a police car taken by a speed trap? Here you go:
http://s4.postimg.org/sm168517h/politi_S60fartsboks.png
Of course, this is a test in the spirit of public education. Video here. Very local to me.
Today I began the installation of A/C into the W126. In theory, it was only missing a compressor. In reality, it’s a big fat pile of unknown.
I am replacing the main cockpit>compressor>condenser hose, the receiver/drier, and installing an R4 compressor. The kit I bought also came with an expansion valve, but after looking up replacement instructions, that has gone on the “not unless it’s leaking” list.
I pulled off the old hose last night, which had R134a fittings. The replacement hose has R12 fittings. While my initial intention was to use R134a refrigerant, I have heard good things about the alternative that works in R12 systems (basically, propane, but marketed under several brand names), so I think I’m going to roll with that.
To avoid hassle, I’m going to use the marketed/branded stuff, like this Red Tek recharge kit (includes cans of refrigerant, oil, and stop leak, and a hose with pressure gauge) that’s on Amazon that has good reviews.
I know Cool Cadillac Cat has said he’s used propane on his W126, but has anyone ever used this branded stuff with its oil and stop leak (which I’ll only add if necessary)?
Just a little quick research shows R-12a (the refrigerant grade propane) to be OK. It isn’t as flammable and likely to blow up as straight propane. I’d stay away from plain old propane though.
Many of its reviews state it works better than original R12, but I’m betting that might be some rose-colored glasses in effect because the reviewers’ A/C wasn’t working at all before adding R12a.
R-12 hasn’t been used in new cars since the early 90’s. Now that most of those cars are off the road, demand for R-12 has dropped and prices are more stable. It’s a little harder to buy than the alternatives, and you have to spend the extra $15 to get a license, but at this point, I’d suggest going with what the factory specified, real R-12. It might add $100 to the job cost, but effectiveness and compatibility issues will be nil.
That might be the case, but I’m on a tight budget (already spent more than allotted — the foot-tapping “this better work” declaration by Mrs. Kiefmo is palpable from the 1100 miles that currently separates us).