Last flying B-29 Super Fortress

[Sejanus.Aelianus]

A family friend was a RAF tail gunner in Lancasters during WWII. He told the story of a B29 coming in to land at his airfield, right at the end of the war. When it parked next to the 'Lanc', which the British thought of as a big 'plane, it made the RAF machine look, as he put it with typical understatement, "a bit on the small side". 😀

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Thanks for the photos. The CAF B-29 FIFI is a unique treasure. Worth finding at an airshow when in your neighborhood. Amazing that they are able to keep it in flight.

 

[Calzone]

Two WWII combat stories; One was a DC-3 cargo plane that was straft by a Japanese Zero until it expended all its ammo, then the Zero pilot crashed his plane into the DC-3 in an a final attemp to down the DC-3, but the DC-3 remained flying, and it was the only cargo plane credited with downing the enemy in WWII.

Another story is of a new pilot engauging a Japanese Zero over the Pacific in a Grumman Wildcat. The Wildcat was a dog of a plane when compared to a Zero. Slower rate of climb, heavy not as agile a fighter. It was in the early part of the war when the U.S. was still gearing up, in this dogfight the pilot's guns jammed, and very quickly the Zero's pilot got on the Wildcat's tail for the kill. The inexperience American pilot basically did the only thing he could do to get out a bad situation and that was to go into a vertical dive.

Somehow the Wildcat's pilot pulled out of the dive before crashing into the Pacific, but the Zero's pilot did not.

Cal

 

[plummerl]

Great photographs and stories! I have flown on the Collings Foundations 909 twice (in Seattle) and can't recommend it enough.
I put a quick book together (for my family) on the two flights:

http://www.blurb.com/books/1979450

The shots in the book are from an Oly E510 and Leica MP.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Cal: you had good reason to question the airworthiness of that B-17. It was 1 of 3 that I helped strip in 1963 and convert to crop dusters for fire ant bait. We removed everything not absolutely critical to reduce airframe weight and thus increase payload. The first one we did, we unknowingly cut out some airframe structural members thinking they were merely part of the bomb bay system. Everyone held their breath the first time that one took off.

Over 15 years ago I got a free ride on a B-17 as a videographer when I did TV broadcast news journalism. The plane had Memphis Belle painted by the cockpit, was used in the film "Memphis Belle" and was one of the few B-17's still airworthy. The owner was a wealthy Texan and was a member of the "Confederate Airforce."
..........................
Anyways flying in this plane was scary enough because its airworthiness was being questioned, but I imagine the vast amount of courage it took for men to fly into battle with so little protection.

Cal

 

[KoNickon]

Interesting stories indeed! The Wildcat is a plane I have a real soft spot for. I have to take some exception to your comment about it being a "dog" compared to the Mitsubishi. To be sure, it was perhaps a little slower than the Zero (A6M), and not as well armed -- but it was almost as manoeuverable and much more rugged. I'd say it was pretty close to an even match with the Zero, all things being equal (i.e. the pilots).

Two WWII combat stories; One was a DC-3 cargo plane that was straft by a Japanese Zero until it expended all its ammo, then the Zero pilot crashed his plane into the DC-3 in an a final attemp to down the DC-3, but the DC-3 remained flying, and it was the only cargo plane credited with downing the enemy in WWII.

Another story is of a new pilot engauging a Japanese Zero over the Pacific in a Grumman Wildcat. The Wildcat was a dog of a plane when compared to a Zero. Slower rate of climb, heavy not as agile a fighter. It was in the early part of the war when the U.S. was still gearing up, in this dogfight the pilot's guns jammed, and very quickly the Zero's pilot got on the Wildcat's tail for the kill. The inexperience American pilot basically did the only thing he could do to get out a bad situation and that was to go into a vertical dive.

Somehow the Wildcat's pilot pulled out of the dive before crashing into the Pacific, but the Zero's pilot did not.

Cal

 

[Bob Michaels]

........................... More important, when these planes visit so do the veterans. Typically a thin old man on his daughters arm with a 10,000 yard stare. These vets are getting fewer and fewer and I have been blessed to know a few. God Bless them. Joe

Long ago, I took my two (then) young sons to a Doolittle Raiders reunion and B-25 fly-in. There were about 12 of the members of Doolittle Raiders there speaking with everyone. I was trying to explain to my sons the significance of who they were and what they did.

One of the Raiders came over and said to my sons "I know, you can't figure out why they sent a bunch of old farts like us out to do such a important mission." My sons just bobbed their heads up and down in agreement.

 

[Gumby]

Every year I see the Tuskeegee Airmen at their annual reunion. Every year there are fewer of them. Very impressive people, but sad to see them in their decline. I'll bet the same is true for Doolittle Raiders too.

 

[Gumby]

p.s. B-25 rides are $300 in my neck of the woods. B-17 rides are $500 or $600.

 

[helvetica]

This plane is currently based out of the Commemorative Airforce hangar in Midland TX, and is amazing to see it in person. I saw it when they where changing out an engine, and a few times at various air shows. For what it's worth, you can buy polished up old parts from them if you like collecting that sort of thing. I have a set of valves (1 intake, 1 exhaust) sitting on my dresser that are larger than the pistons in my car!

 

[oftheherd]

The Cavanaugh is top shelf all the way! They have a F-104 which is one of the more beautiful jets ever!

This one, once based in Houston is now based in Arizona. I am the photographer and copyright holder of the attached image.

When I was young and in the Civil Air Patrol as a cadet, I remember being told the F-104's wing's leading edges were so thin and sharp, they had to put felt on them on the ground so the air crew could safely work on the aircraft.

 

[oftheherd]

Cal: you had good reason to question the airworthiness of that B-17. It was 1 of 3 that I helped strip in 1963 and convert to crop dusters for fire ant bait. We removed everything not absolutely critical to reduce airframe weight and thus increase payload. The first one we did, we unknowingly cut out some airframe structural members thinking they were merely part of the bomb bay system. Everyone held their breath the first time that one took off.

There are photos of damage to B-17s returning from bomb runs that are incredible. I have seen one where almost the entire vertical stabilizer is missing. Still flying.

 

[bigeye]

View attachment 90096

View attachment 90097

A few shots from the 40's.

The top one is "Thumper", A-21.

The earlier tail markings were: Group Letter ("A"= 497th BG), a small square and the plane number. Later, they just had a large "Group letter" with the plane number on the nose and side, like Thumper ("A").

The bottom photo is "Bockscar", the Nagasaki plane. It's on display at Wright-Patterson in Dayton.

 

[TXForester]

This plane is currently based out of the Commemorative Airforce hangar in Midland TX

Not according to this site, http://www.cafb29b24.org/

She was at Addison last year getting worked on after a hard landing at a show.

 

[bigeye]

There are photos of damage to B-17s returning from bomb runs that are incredible. I have seen one where almost the entire vertical stabilizer is missing. Still flying.

Only half of the horizontal stabilizer on the 29's could be missing... (This one was parked next to Dad's):

 

[uhoh7]

B29: if I'm not mistaken this was the single most expensive project in WW2, costing more than the bomb even!

 

[kshapero]

The engines, I read, we're good for only 75 hours of use!!

 

[bigeye]

Fantastic photos. Tell your Dad thanks for his service for me.

From me as well. Thank you for sharing his story in words & pictures.

He wouldn't understand why, though I wish I could; he passed away last August.

It took my whole lifetime to collect most of his 'war stories', which came out in bits and pieces. We'd be doing something together and out of the blue, he'd smile and shake his head and tell me one about a famous "guest" mission leader who became unhinged over the radio when they entered the bomb run. Or, how a 2000lb bomb hung on its shackles (yes, they comically tried to get it out of the open bomb bay) and it had to ride all the way home, only to come loose the moment the tires kissed the runway, tearing off the bay doors and tumbling alongside the plane at 100 mph on rollout, somehow missing the plane, entirely. Crazy, random stuff. I don't know how anyone survived WWII.

I found these pictures in a box of this things. He said that they scattered a few cameras around the plane every mission to have the crew take pictures of anything of interest or significant. I *think* it was a Fairchild K-20, but I'm not sure. The size would be right for contact prints of the above. I think they added the imprint data during printing.

- Charlie

 

[bigeye]

The engines, I read, we're good for only 75 hours of use!!

1 or 2 missions. Takeoff manifold pressure was something like 70 inches, which is insane! (Highest I've ever heard of is 45 inches in a modern aircraft.)

The funny thing is that they eventually sorted them out and they would last forever in commercial airline service (3000+ hours).

 

[Nikon Bob]

They sure did get those engines sorted out. The old Argus, in service from 1957 to 1982, was powered by 4 of those Wright R3350s. They were a new definition of the word "loud" for me.

Bob