Thread: B-17 Bomber...

Originally Posted by John Drake

I don't see why not. The US Army 1911a was around for nearly 80 years and the 30 caliber machine gun designed in 1919 is also still used by many armies

Heck, we still use the M-2 .50 cal machine gun. That was first introduced in 1921. That makes it 89 years old.

Besides, how many machine guns can also double as a sniper rifle?

Originally Posted by TheLastBoyScout

My grandfather was a B-17 Bombardier.

Always been proud of him and honored his memory. He lived until he was 82 and oh the stories he had to tell. I think the air crews generally liked this plane. It was their only refuge from the 88's shooting flak and german fighters....and it performed admirably. So many of those planes were hit, but stayed in the air, got the guys home, were repaired, and went out again.

The B-17 in the OP picture was very similar in appearance to the one he served on, right down to the air group "J"....He was in the 351st (Triangle J). The noseart on the plane was a big dragon that was coming in for a landing with the caption "Myasis Dragon" (My ass is draggin') underneath. Some time after my Grandpa's last mission, his old plane was being transferred to Germany by a different air group, took a direct flak hit to the bomb bay and disintegrated into a ball of flame so his particular plane does not exist any more.

This was the fate of most of the planes. Pretty sure that we scrapped a heck of a lot more than were shot down. It's very cool that some have been preserved at all.



Check out these fortresses back in the day.....at the end you can see them in formation:
YouTube - 351st bomb group polebrook england 8th usaaf 1943

my god that a shit laod of b-17s , holy cow....

my hats off to your grandfather. I cannot imagine being in one of those things for 8 hours a day 3 days a week for years or until, well, you know. Grit, plain and simple.

Originally Posted by Commodore

Thats got to be a great way to retire. Restoring old warbirds and bringing a vital piece of history to the next generation.

It's no easy task with the old warbirds. During WWII (at least), the schematics were left intentionally incomplete. What was there was accurate, but they'd be missing a minor piece here and a bolt hole there, etc. This was done to slow down an enemy's progress if he were ever able to steal the plans for an aircraft. It was quite effective; it's slowed down the progress of the Mid Atlantic Air Museum's Black Widow considerably.

Originally Posted by Imperator

if you had your way I am sure you'd do your best to make that happen....

Actually if designers set out to do what the B-52 does today they would probably come up with something we could modify existing air frames into.

The B-52 is that good.

Some fucking military rescue helicopter fly over my house a couple of times a week - in lower attitude than its allowed. Its very very noisy, and Im either gonna complain to the military, or shoot at it with my rifle if it continues.

Originally Posted by Wallaroo

Some fucking military rescue helicopter fly over my house a couple of times a week - in lower attitude than its allowed. Its very very noisy, and Im either gonna complain to the military, or shoot at it with my rifle if it continues.

It flies underground?

Originally Posted by Commodore

It flies underground?

It practically flies through my bedroom. Im not saying that I will shoot at it, but I am very grouchy in the early morning.

Originally Posted by Wallaroo

Some fucking military rescue helicopter fly over my house a couple of times a week - in lower attitude than its allowed. Its very very noisy, and Im either gonna complain to the military, or shoot at it with my rifle if it continues.

I though that back during the Cold War Denmark disbanded
its armed forces, and replaced them with loudpseakers
programmed to say very loudly: "We surrender" in Russian.

Originally Posted by USViking

I though that back during the Cold War Denmark disbanded
its armed forces, and replaced them with loudpseakers
programmed to say very loudly: "We surrender" in Russian.

That was actualy an idea by a right wing ultra liberal crazy guy, and it would have been the best and most economical solution too.