Restored B-17 "Liberty Belle" Crashes And Burns

[tombogan03884]

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 

[Solus]

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.

[rojawe]

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

[Herknav]

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!

[Herknav]

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.

 

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