Still flying WW2 planes

I'm sure someone here is familiar with the Collins foundation. If your not I suggest you look into it. I had the fortunate chance of seeing there planes last year at Norwood,MA airport. They had a B-17 a B-24 and the P-51 Mustang. They even have the option of flying in one of these relics albeit for a decent price. Call me crazy but I plan on taking a ride in there B-17 when they come back around in a month.

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/

 

Many years ago my daughter was in school at Corvallis, Oregon and we were visiting. I heard that beautiful music made by 8 radials and one V 16 flying low and went running out to see what it was, yes the 17, 24 and a 51 flying low. My daughter figured they must be at an old WW2 base now the local air port so we went out to see and it was the Collins group. I am frugal so decided to just tour the plans but my ever sweet wife ask if I could go up in one what would I choose and I said the 17. without telling me she bought me a ticket, $300 in those days. I would never have done it for myself. What an experience !!! I am guessing we were up about 30 minutes but I will always remember it. the highlight oddly was a low level run just over the runway. Great to see the other planes from ours. Once landed I did not know a Wright radial could leak so much oil ! I thought maybe it was a total lost system !!.

I have been promised a ride in a Yak 9 based here in Auburn, Al but it keeps getting put off.

Gaines

 

Thanks for the post I figured someone on here has heard of them. That's a great gift from the wife. And believe me I'm frugal too but I figure these planes won't be flying forever and correct me I I'm wrong but I believe that's the only flying B-17 there is. It's $425 now and you nailed it its a 30 minute ride. Just touring the planes was incredible I can't wait to experience it in flight. And that would be awesome if you got to fly in a Yak-9 I would think they have a lot of those around still seeing as though the Russians mass produced aircraft. Let me know if you get around to it.

 

There are approximately 12 airworthy B-17s in the US and a couple in Europe. There are only 2 B-24 that air airworthy.

 

Thanks for the correction. And check the Collins foundation website they travel all across the U.S. I'm going to Hyannis airport in September to see them again. Last time I went I had the pleasure of meeting a WW2 veteran that flew in a Mustang.

 

Jeff, It belongs to Jim Cook, a retired Army helicopter pilot. I remodeled a house for the Cook's and Jim offered to take me up in it.....but !! I should have made it an upfront condition !! LOL. It is one of several dozen airframes discovered some years ago and put into flying condition. They substituted Allisons for the original Kilmovs for maintenance purposes and sold them privately. Jim has a hanger-office at the Auburn-Opelika airport and it stays there unless he is going to an airshow. He also has a post war Polish observation plane, a PZL STOL, looks like a Piper Cub on steroids, a Yak 52 radial trainer and a Bonanza twin tail !! I will find out a good time so we can visit.

Gaines

 

A couple years ago...I was at school with a guy that rode on the B-17.
I believe it cost about 300 dollars.
He could not believe how loud and uncomfortable it was. That was just for a half hour.
He could not imagine a 3-8 hour ride in one of those things....and up at 20k feet where it is also very cold...with the "windows" open.
Was an amazing experience.
best

 

The Collins Foundation visits Seattle every year, but they always seem to come on an overcase weekend when the weather is crappy for photos. This year was finally an exception, and I managed to get a few photos, plus video of the B-17 taxiing out and then coming back in. I tried to do the same with the B-24, but my camera was having odd issues and I never managed to get more than 5 seconds of the B-24. The B-17 video is here, for those interested. I used a Rode mic, so it's better than average audio quality.

 

I love their B-24. I believe it is the only flying B-24 fully renovated to WWII conditions (J variant with nose turret).

The other flyable 24 is (I believe) an LB-30 - the cargo version of the B-24. I'm not sure who owns that one.

The 24 and their 17 are coming to Connecticut in September. It's been a few years since I've seen them so I plan to go their again.

If I can make it, I'll post some images of them on this forum.

 

The LB-30 was not a cargo version of the B-24 (the C-87 was the transport/cargo version) but was the original export designation for the Liberator. The Commemorative Air Force operates Diamond Lil which was built as a B-24A, s/n 40-2366 and was destined to be delivered to the RAF as AM-927. A landing accident prior to delivery caused it to be deleted from the order shipped to England. The aircraft was then used as the prototype for the C-87 transport. It has been restored to its original B-24A configuration.

The "J" model was the most produced version of the B-24 but was not the only version used in combat. In fact it did not become the dominant variant until mid-'44. The B-24D with the greenhouse nose was the initial combat version for the USAAF and did yeoman work in '42 and '43. The "D" model was the aircraft used on the low-level OPERATION TIDAL WAVE Ploesti mission.

The B-24H was the first factory produced version with a nose turret and most of the B-24 groups that made up the 15th AF originally went overseas with H models. My dad completed his tour in July '44 and only flew one mission in a "J" model, although he did fly 4 missions in "D" models. All others were in the B-24H.

 

Thanks, for the clarification of the LB-30.

As for the 'J' variant, I only meant to reference that the Collings version is a J variant example.

My favorite version of the Libs is the 'D' with the big green house nose.

I want to someday to an 'Operation Tidal Wave' version of the Ploiesti raids.

Do you know if your dad flew in Ford version of the J?

I've heard pilots who flew in both the Ford and Consolidated J's could feel the difference - Ford versions feeling much 'tighter',

I think the Collings version is a Ford.

 

I was lucky enough to see them near me last year and posted some pictures, and much to my surprise they were back again this year. I am certainly hoping it is an annual stopover.

 

Denny, I thought the same thing, cannot imagine flying at 20-25,000 feet, freezing cold, bumpy, very loud with 36 cylinders exhausting through dump pipes, 8,20, and 30 mm projectiles , the latter two explosive, causing havoc with the plane and it's crew....especially when loaded with various types of bombs. Then you have flack going off around you and in you, plus occasionally air to air rockets coming in. Imagine being in the belly turret, I got to climb into one as a teen, I am 5-6 and felt claustrophobic....or being a tail gunner and watching a 109 or 190 coming toward you or perhaps worse, being in the persplex nose and the same aircraft are approaching frontally at over 500 mph, though probably a little less.

It is beyond my comprehension to even begin to wonder what the terror must be like. Those were brave committed souls. I am fully aware the aircrew of all nations felt the same. I have absolutely nothing to base it on but think being in Bomber Command must have been the most terror filled. Look at the attrition rates. I think it defies comprehension by anyone not there.

Gaines

 

Im in Australia...i feel sick.

 

Very well put I feel the same way. I feel the ball/belly turret was one of the most dangerous jobs there was. Your all alone in there from take off to landing. Which was usually several hours. Also with Britians bomber command 1 in every 2 were to be killed during Harris's German campaign.

 

http://s1280.photobucket.com/user/USAAF-B-17/library/Collins%20Foundation%20pics?sort=3&page=1

That's a link to some of the photos I took last year when the Collins foundation came around.

 

The Collings Foundation B-24 was built at the Consolidated - Fort Worth plant. The "J" that my dad flew in was built at the Consolidated San Diego plant. As he was a gunner, he would have no opinnion regarding flying qualities.

I know of one pilot who ferried a Fort Worth built "J" overseas and complained that the ailerons were so stiff that it was difficult to fly in formation. The engineering department could not seem to correct the aileron issue. He wound up flying most of his missions in another FW built "J" that he said was a sweet flying aircraft.

The Ford built aircraft were probably more consistent as Ford applied their mass production techniques to build aircraft where the other factories were more along the lines of hand-building each aircraft.

The aircraft dad's crew flew the most was an "H" built by Douglas-Tulsa from a Ford produced knock down kit. The co-pilot thought it was one of the better flying aircraft in the squadron. Its in my avatar.

 

It is kind of funny...I watch, read, look at A Lot of WW2 "stuff"....you get so use to seeing a bunch of B-17, FW-190, P-51...etc etc.....you forget that there are hardly any of these things around anymore.
Hard to imagine the relatively sudden loss of Thousands and Thousands of aircraft.
best.