B-17 Start up... Coolest. sound. ever.
 

Took the boy to see some warbirds on display at the local airport yesterday. Among them a B-17. Sounds like... freedom. I didn't know they were in town in time to book a ride but I'll be on it next time.

The radial engines are definitely something to behold. I am familiar with the "Aluminum Overcast", but I can't remember if I've seen it in person. I've seen several of the ones still flying, and need to buy a ride on one. CAF has the movie "Memphis Belle", and it costs a few hundred dollars a year to be in the CAF, which I wold love to do, but they are in Peachtree City Ga, which is a 1.5 hours from where I live.:seasix:

I've experienced this a number of times with B-17s and B-24s. That's a total of 7,200 horsepower.

Note the man in front of the plane with a fire extinguisher at the ready.

I got a ride on Aluminum Overcast a few years ago. I didn't pay anything for it as it was part of a Media thing and a friend of mine works with EAA. That said, it's worth the price of admission if you have the opportunity.

Guy in our golf club that flew those during WWII. He is an amazing individual. 95 years old and shoots under his age routinely...usually in the high 80s. He hats some interesting stories

My sisters old neighbor was a crew member on one. After my father first met him he turned to me and said" That guys has some balls" when I asked why he told me thier lose rates were the worst of any unit in WWII.

Dad was in the USMC and was at Peleliu

I have heard/read that before. Those guys had big brass ones for sure

My dad climbed into a B24 and flew over Nazi occupied Europe 50 times.

http://pippaettore.com/Horrific_WWII_Statistics.html

The losses were horrific

Statistically, you were way safer being in the infantry, or some other type of ground pounding job, than any type of bomber crew member in Europe. They definitely got the hell shot out of them.:sadangel:

This flew over our backyard a few years ago :seasix:

This pic is inside the B-17 "Nine O Nine" in the pictures.
https://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps58999adb.jpg

I live about 2 miles from the Cincy Warbird Museum and not far from the museum at Wright Patterson AFB. I'm lucky enough to have awesome aircraft overhead almost every weekend. I run outside like a kid every time I hear those unmistakable engines. Most common is the B-25. That thing is up in the air nonstop. The P-51 makes an occasional pass overhead. Even had a Spitfire a few months ago. This was the 1st time a B-17 was up and about. Definitely glad I went to see it up close and in person.

http://www.tri-statewarbirdmuseum.org/

Back in the late 80s, one of the guys I raced go karts against was a pilot in the Air National Guard and they had a P-51 in the squadron.

Every late spring there is an Air Show at Reading (PA) Airport and he had the P-51 there. He said when he took it out, he would do a flyover the go kart track which is in Topton PA ( 15 or so air miles away )

He happened to do his flyover during intermission and was about 500' off the ground. VERY distinctive sound from the Merlin engine.

After he flew over, he gave more throttle and went into a climb. He was up a good distance when he "nosed over" and went into a dive. What an intimidating sound :willy:

He buzzed the track at probably 100' and the noise was intense. The poor ladies in the scoring booth had no idea what he was doing until it was over as he was behind them until he roared over them :rofl:

Friend of mine's late father was a tail gunner in one. I told him his dad was a badass and didn't see how he could fit in the rear cabin with balls that big.

Love the B17 and B25. Been my faves since I was a kid building models of them.

There is nothing on planet Earth that sounds like a Merlin. NOTHING.

IMO it's the best sounding engine ever produced.

Several years ago, I had taken my eldest son and his friend to see some others in Peachtree City Ga. I was standing outside the car talking to the friend's mom, and heard the distinct sound of a Merlin. Looked up, sure enough a P-51. I chased it down to the CAF hangar there, and hung out with those guys all day. Good stuff!

Interesting video of B24s coming back to base with damage. Whole video is great, but check out 10:13 and 11:13. 10:13 happened at my dad's base. I've seen pics of it before but never video. Both waist gunners were killed and blown out of the plane.

Then he came home and didn't talk about it for about 40 years. I was 25 before I even knew what kind of plane he flew in. In the mid 80s he did go to a few reunions of his bomber group.

I thought in the reel that it was a little funny how the narrator critiqued everything, and "how it should be done". Wonder what he would have been saying if his ass was flying one of the crippled birds....:yesnod: