B-17 Flying Fortress
 

Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing aviation brought there B-17 to town yesterday. I was able to go take a look at it today. I also took a tour of the inside of this aircraft. Amazing how small and tight things are inside. I can't imagine how anyone over 6' could get around in there, yet spoke with a man who said he was a tail gunner (6'3, 235). So glad I took the time to go see this wonderful piece of history.

I toured too awhile back, very small inside. The pilot and co-pilot sit so close they are nearly touching. The top gunner is right there too.

It has been a few years, but I have also toured the B-17 at one of the local air shows... Andrews AFB, I think... an amazing piece of history indeed. The oldest plane I have flown in was the DC-3... There is nothing like flying in a multi-engined prop plane!

Many years ago, when I worked in Fire Management, we had three B-17's tanked to drop retardant. Quite an aircraft. One of these crashed in Boise. I believe that was the end of them as retardant aircraft. Bill

I also flew in a DC-3, or C-47, on a trip from Redstone Arsenal to Pueblo Army Depot and back when soldiers from my Perhsing Guided Missile Maintenance Detachment were there on temporary duty. I was in Saudi Arabia for a year and the national airline was using a DC-3 in an out of their more remote airports. It visited Tabuk where I was at least weekly. The pilot, an American, and I became friends, largely because I had a stock of Heiniken beer that was hard to come by since alcoholic beverages were prohibited in the country.

Many years ago.

David

Cant' imagine what it would like inside with several of the guns going off, engines roaring, air flak going off all around. Really makes you think what these poor guys went through.

Add to that minus 50 degrees and wind wipping through the fuselage and the respect really increases.

Once, after many years and too many beers, my dad told me his nickname was "Shoot 'n' Puke Cornwell". He told me that one time he barfed all over the bomb bay release and the doors wouldn't roll up because the mechanism was frozen solid. His pilot, Captain Peter Paul Anchelli, made him climb down and kick the damn things loose. Even for all that, he ended up with 5 air medals. (equiv. Bronze Star.)

S/Sgt James Cornwell, top turret gunner, B-24, 461st Bomb Group, 15th Air Force, Foggia, Italy, 1944-45.

I was born while he was overseas.

Yes, I miss the old bastard.

Regards to all,

Gunny John

PS. Now where'd I leave the friggin' box of kleenex?

Dad was a Radio/Gunner in both the "Bad Penny" and the "Yoyo", (always comes back) in the 703rd. Bomb Sqdr. 445th. Composite Bomb Group out of Tibenham, England.

For a while the actor Jimmy Stuart was their commanding officer.

I took the tour of the one parked outside the Museum of Flight in Seattle. The guide said the ideal crew member was <5'7" and weighed 140 lbs max. I'm 6'1" and about 220 lbs. It was a very tight fit on the catwalk in the bomb bay (tore my shirt). I also tried the dorsal turret. Good thing I'm not claustrophobic.

I made a lot of trips in the "Gooney Bird"; From Orlando AFB to White Sands, NM and trips over Europe during the early 1960's. On one trip I remember, we had engine problems, so we feathered one engine and poured the coal to the other. After arriving and the mechanics checked her over, we were babying the wrong engine. She took the lickin' and kept on tickin'.
Jack

I once in the late 50's ferried a C-47 from Sacramento to Guam. It took us a month because we had to have good wind to make some of the legs. Bill Hughes USAF 1953 til 1973.

I'm jealous. Always wanted to get up close to one of those babies.

Any of you remember the B-36? They were stationed at Fairchild AFB Spokane WA when I was a kid. We would drive to the fence at the end of the runway and watch in awe as they took off and landed.

They have a complete, early model, (single wheel landing gear, not trucks) covering the entire indoor expance of the Airforce Museum, in Dayton, Ohio.

Convair B-36 "Peacemaker"
Amazing plane,the size of it is most impressive!
Just checked one out at the Pima Air museum in AZ, a couple of weeks ago.
Its even larger then the B-52's parked next to it.
Great air museum if you ever get down Southern Arizona way.
Wonderful SR-71 Blackbird on display there,my personal favorite.
Bob