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Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: billt on June 13, 2011, 06:57:39 PM

Title: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: billt on June 13, 2011, 06:57:39 PM
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-crews-responding-to-incident-involving-wwii-bomber-20110613,0,5852034.story

Now there is one less of them.   Bill T.
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: PegLeg45 on June 13, 2011, 07:03:34 PM
Just saw that on the evening news......hate the loss of the treasured relic....but fortunately there were limited injuries and all survived.
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: Pathfinder on June 13, 2011, 07:29:11 PM
Agreed about the fact everyone got away safely. Nice flying by the pilot.

My Dad flew B-17's over Germany. This is beyond sad, given that there aren't more than 4-6 flying examples left. One of them left, the EAA's Aluminum Overcast, is in my Dad's BG markings, but they used the 601 Squadron instead of his 600th.

I think this one is the one I was hoping to fly in this summer when it comes to Fargo. Hopefully there are parts they can salvage for the other one they are restoring.
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: tombogan03884 on June 13, 2011, 08:18:46 PM
Some airplanes can't be replaced.     :'(
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: alfsauve on June 13, 2011, 08:34:07 PM
This is beyond sad, given that there aren't more than 4-6 flying examples left.

Yes it is sad, but I believe there are 14 airworthy B-17 lefts and another ~80 airframes on the ground.
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: kilopaparomeo on June 13, 2011, 09:14:02 PM
 :'(
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: Badgersmilk on June 14, 2011, 09:34:18 AM
Shame to loose her.   :(

(http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0PDoS2rb_dNuy4AWDajzbkF/SIG=12o2j2lut/EXP=1308090411/**http%3a//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9e/B-17_Liberty_Belle.jpg)

They say their restoring another one though!
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: tombogan03884 on June 14, 2011, 10:53:10 AM
I think it is unfair sensationalism to characterize the "off Airport" forced landing as a "crash".
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: JC5123 on June 14, 2011, 01:02:21 PM
Some airplanes can't be replaced.     :'(

Agreed, The SR-71 Blackbird is a good example. It set records that still haven't been broken.
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: billt on June 14, 2011, 01:48:10 PM
I think it is unfair sensationalism to characterize the "off Airport" forced landing as a "crash".

I agree, but she's still gone for good. It's like debating if the love of your life cheated on you, or you cheated on her. Either way it's over for good. Really sad.  Bill T.
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: tombogan03884 on June 14, 2011, 01:54:02 PM
Agreed, The SR-71 Blackbird is a good example. It set records that still haven't been broken.

The SR-71 is the only plane to set a world speed record on it's way to the museum  ;D
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: Solus on June 14, 2011, 02:22:48 PM
Agreed, The SR-71 Blackbird is a good example. It set records that still haven't been broken.

An amazing aircraft.  Not likely there will ever be another to match it.  New York to London in 1hr 55min.

Doubtful that it could even be built today in the time it took to build it back then, with all the different regulations and requirements in place today.

Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: rojawe on June 18, 2011, 08:44:38 PM
I was sitting in the Drive way a couple of weeks ago and I heard the distinct sound of the old engines and I looked up and Low and Slow and proud just a couple hundred feet directly over me.  I think you buy a ride for around 400 bucks and such a loss of History :'(
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: Herknav on June 19, 2011, 07:29:28 AM
I agree, but she's still gone for good. It's like debating if the love of your life cheated on you, or you cheated on her. Either way it's over for good. Really sad.  Bill T.

This is a bit of an oversimplification.  The pilot landed her intact and the fire department arrived on scene.  Had the FD done their job, the aircraft might've been saved.  However, they determined that the field was too wet to risk driving the fire trucks onto it.  So, they watched it burn.  Fine.  Meanwhile, the crew had time to offload bags. 

Here's the screwed up part--The arrival of a news helicopter (after the plane was mostly gone) coincided with a change in the on-scene commander's mind, and he rolled the trucks out to the aircraft.  I didn't realize the downdraft of a helicopter could dry out a field that fast.  Wow!
Title: Re: Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns
Post by: Herknav on June 19, 2011, 07:34:05 AM
This is a bit of an oversimplification.  I'll bet it matters to the pilots that landed her intact despite a small fire.  The fire department arrived on scene rather quickly, according to the Chief Pilot of the Liberty Belle's parent company. However, the on-scene commander for the FD determined that the field was too wet to risk driving the fire trucks onto it.  So, they watched it burn.  Fine.  Meanwhile, the crew had time to offload bags. 

Here's the screwed up part--The arrival of a news helicopter (after the plane was mostly gone) coincided with a change in the on-scene commander's mind, and he rolled the trucks out to the aircraft.  I didn't realize the downdraft of a helicopter could dry out a field that fast.  Wow!

Had the FD done their job, the aircraft might've been saved.