Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: DaveBB on October 13, 2017, 07:41:02 PM

Title: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: DaveBB on October 13, 2017, 07:41:02 PM
At work today I thought I saw a twin-tailed aircraft, but it was moving fast.  Figured it was one of the transient Navy COD planes I'm always seeing.  Later on during the day, I see a camo schemed B-25 flying around.  Then I see a huge single engine plane form up on him.  It looked like a TBF.  I didn't realize they were that big, it appeared to be almost the size of the B-25.  I snapped some photos later of the B-25 flying around, but my camera only has a 4x optical zoom.

Anyone know why they are here?
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Mongoose on October 13, 2017, 09:32:17 PM
B-25H wingspan 67 ft. 7 inches
TBF wingspan 54 ft 2 inches

That's quite a difference in size. But if the TBF was between you and the B-25, they could look the same.
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Devil 505 on October 13, 2017, 11:38:45 PM
Avengers are enormous.
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Oldman731 on October 14, 2017, 12:16:43 AM
Avengers are enormous.


Agreed.

- oldman
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: RSLQK186 on October 14, 2017, 09:02:56 AM
Local news mentions the 25. Saw Show Me on the side and did some digging.
Commemorative Air Force Missouri Wing B-25J "Show Me" and TBM-3E are at Bowman Field for Veterans event. At post time 3 seats available today on Mitchell ($395 ea) and 1 on Avenger ($895). 1 on each available Sunday.
https://cafmo.org/content/register.aspx?Id=131
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: DaveBB on October 14, 2017, 04:31:34 PM

Agreed.

- oldman

I agree, almost the size of a twin engine medium bomber.
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Frodo on October 14, 2017, 06:00:32 PM
These 2 are based in a suburb of St. Louis. They come every year to a local show here, about 70 miles away from their base.  :cheers:

(http://i.imgur.com/vDuAH8q.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/WPfZrV4.jpg)
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: colmbo on October 16, 2017, 01:54:38 PM
Avengers are enormous.

I love airplanes that a fall from is life threatening.
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Kanth on October 17, 2017, 04:11:04 PM
Yes, i was shocked at their size relative to the B17.  :confused:
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: DaveBB on October 17, 2017, 09:19:30 PM
The plane that most shocked me at its size (compared to what I thought) was the F6F.  When I first saw one at an airshow in the late 90s, I was amazed at how huge it was.  The F4F was tiny by comparison.  The F6F has about the same wing area as a P-47, and is very similar in size.  Yet far more maneuverable.
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: mikeWe9a on October 18, 2017, 03:47:39 PM
The plane that most shocked me at its size (compared to what I thought) was the F6F.  When I first saw one at an airshow in the late 90s, I was amazed at how huge it was.  The F4F was tiny by comparison.  The F6F has about the same wing area as a P-47, and is very similar in size.  Yet far more maneuverable.
And don't forget, far slower...
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Mister Fork on October 18, 2017, 05:33:09 PM
And don't forget, far slower...
Slower, but still capable of speeds up to 385 mph at altitude (~18k), and 320mph at sea level.  F6F is no slouch but no speed match for the P-47.  It can, however, dive just as effectively as the Jug.  Folding wings and carrier landing gear make up for some of that bulk and almost twice the range (960 vs 550) on internal fuel.
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: DaveBB on October 18, 2017, 08:22:00 PM
I'm a believer in the 400mph F6F.  There was a pitot tube problem that made the airspeed read low during testing.  The P-47 was faster at high altitude.
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Vraciu on October 18, 2017, 08:25:07 PM
I'm a believer in the 400mph F6F.  There was a pitot tube problem that made the airspeed read low during testing.  The P-47 was faster at high altitude.

I'm not.  Corky Meyer had an agenda. IMHO.   I think it was faster than 380 but I don't see it as a 400 mph airplane.   Close though.

Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: DaveBB on October 18, 2017, 08:31:07 PM
This was covered ad nauseum back in 2004 on these boards.  There is a lot of evidence that the F6F could attain speeds between 405-409mph. 
Title: Re: B-25 and TBF (I think) in Louisville, KY
Post by: Vraciu on October 18, 2017, 08:32:29 PM
This was covered ad nauseum back in 2004 on these boards.  There is a lot of evidence that the F6F could attain speeds between 405-409mph.

I don't buy it.

I've read the arguments.

And there's absolutely no way it was as fast as the F4U, a claim that has also been made.