Author Topic: B-17 walk through in Laconia NH. (Read 756 times)

1Boner · « **on:** September 23, 2007, 12:30:39 PM »

This past tuesday (my day off) I got a call that a B-17 and a B-25j were at a very small local airport (about 10 miles away)

I dropped everything and was there in less than 45 minutes!

Bunch of ol vets there telling some great stories, and of course there were the planes!!

I,ll try to set the pictures up on the inside from front to back as I remember it.

These are all from the B-17 Nine O Nine.

I,m sure alot of guys in here have already been through a B-17 before, so this is more for the guys who haven't had the chance yet.(It was my 1st time too)

This is what you see when you 1st hop in.

Then you stand up and------

Headin to the back--

Ball turret--I imagine to get into it, you 1st get airborne then aim the gun straight downwards to enter the hatch.

The ball turret hatch from outside the plane(incredibly small)

Rear of plane and exit off to the left. (no access to tail gun)
Pretty good sized generator off to the right near fire extinguiser.

Your elated tour guide!

These photos can't begin to describe how small it is inside that large plane!

There were people who had to BACK out because it was to small for them to pass through.

If you ever get the chance to visit one of these classics--DO IT!!
You won't regret it.

Hope you enjoyed it,

Boner

USRanger · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2007, 12:36:02 PM »

Great pics Boner! Thanx!

FiLtH · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2007, 10:42:20 PM »

Boner did you happen to see an old man with one arm there? He and his son went up in the B17. It was his first time back in one since he lost his arm in one back in the war. He is my mothers next door neighbor. I guess it really brought it all back to him from what I heard.

PATRIOTS · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2007, 11:18:01 PM »

Very cool boner! I went to the airshow at Otis Air national guard base this august and it was a blast. The main attraction was The Blue Angels, A-10s, and a stealth fighter(F117) but my favorite part was seeing the B-25H, F4U1C- and P-40B. I took a few pics but never had a chance to post em..

1Boner · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2007, 08:12:56 AM »

They had a 25j in laconia

It looked really small compared to the 17

It really wasn't much bigger than some of the dual engine civilian planes that were parked near it.

I am going to plan my vacation around the air show in Ohio next year.

Sick of missing all the good stuff!!

Hope to meet some AH players there.

Boner

Kazaa · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2007, 08:49:18 AM »

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice

The Fugitive · « **Reply #6 on:** September 24, 2007, 08:52:54 AM »

Plan a vacation around the WWII weekend at the Mid Atlantic Air Show !!! its a great weekend, I've been a number of times and have met a number of AHers there.

fuzeman · « **Reply #7 on:** September 24, 2007, 02:44:37 PM »

I wonder if the damage to the tail has been fixed yet. Did you notice any non-structural damage near the tail gunner and left elevator?
When I asked a ground crew member he said it was caused by a wind storm that came through when Nine-O-nine was on the ground.

kvuo75 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 24, 2007, 03:45:29 PM »

I highly recommend EAA's B17 "aluminum overcast".. they offer about 30 minute flights for $400, and you can roam the whole thing while airborne, except ball turret and tailgun.. http://www.b17.org for schedule and such.

couple vids of my flight last june:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBRpdjv3yzM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wcx89bz_8aY

and most interesting photo I took while in cruise at 1500msl

27 inches and 1900 rpm

pengu146 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 24, 2007, 04:16:36 PM »

in early june my local airport in Astoria Oregon had an airshow. they had a b-17 a b-24 and a b 26 you were able to go in the b-17 and 24 but they said the 26 was too small. i was gonna buy a flight in the 17 and pulled the last of the money in my debit account and saw i was $50 short and in my wallet only had $45 I was p****d

but the planes were awsome and i got to crawl in the nose gun I was amazed how little space there was
I will remember that 4 the rest of my life

1Boner · « **Reply #10 on:** September 24, 2007, 06:54:10 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by fuzeman
I wonder if the damage to the tail has been fixed yet. Did you notice any non-structural damage near the tail gunner and left elevator?
When I asked a ground crew member he said it was caused by a wind storm that came through when Nine-O-nine was on the ground.

Didn't really notice anything, but i,m no expert!

They did have that section blocked off with what looked to be gym mats, you couldn't see into the tail gunner section at all.

Myopically yours,

Boner

hubsonfire · « **Reply #11 on:** September 24, 2007, 07:03:47 PM »

Sweet pics, boner

fuzeman · « **Reply #12 on:** September 24, 2007, 09:15:34 PM »

1Boner, from that picture I think they did fix it. There was a noticable dent by tail gun and a very small one on left elevator where I have red circles in this picture.

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #13 on:** September 25, 2007, 09:36:34 AM »

OW ... an AIRHEAD!!!:t

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #14 on:** September 28, 2007, 11:25:06 AM »

Liberty Belle is in Slat Lake this week end, opened for tour and demo flight.