Can you imagine being in that thing on takeoff with a full load of bombs, men, armament, ammunition, fuel, radios, and rolling on perforated steel planking...... in the mud???
I know what you mean. Marston matting wasn't common at 8th AF fields in England. More common at fighter airfields in the Asiatic-Pacific Theatre of Operation in WW.II.
And imagine you're 19 years old. And your pilot is 24. I can't help crying when I think of what those kids went through, night after night. We owe so much. .
On August 11, 2013, I rode in the nose of the B-17 "Sentimental Journey" at the Fargo airport. Looks similar, and BOY, what a ride! The noise was awesome!
During WWII my father in law was an electrical engineer, which would be an electronics engineer in today’s world. He worked on several projects for the Navy including surface contact radar that our destroyers used to hunt down Nazi Uboats and sink them. He loved airplanes too, something we had in common. Shortly after I met my wife the Commemorative airforce held a dance just like they did in the 40’s, to raise money for their restoration efforts. When we got there there as row upon row of Beech 18’s and their derivatives C47’s a couple B 25’s and our Alastair, Sentimental Journey. As soon as he saw her my. Father in law ran straight for the B17, ducking under the ropes. Another gentleman about his age came up to him, and I thought we were taking a trip to the jail to bail him out, but the two of them started talking and talking and talking. Then Don, my father in law, motioned for me to come over and when I did he pointed to a football like device on the bottom of the fuselage, that was rounded on the front and pointed at the rear. He explained that this was a special antenna that he helped develop for night time bombing raids over Germany. Don said that this antenna would pick up three radio signals allowing the navigator to plot his position when he couldn’t see the t argent. The system was also used in the Gulf of Mexico, around the Florid peninsula, and on the west coast. We never got the chance to fly in a B17, but I did fly in a C47 that had flown paratroops over France the night before D-Day. It was an amazing flight, but sitting over the wing gave me no view of anything besides the wing and the engines exhaust. Next time I hope I can afford to pay for a good seat! I’m glad you hand the chance!
My 6th grade teacher, Mr Veenbore was a B17 bombardier in WW2 - England. He talked about some of his experiences. He once told us cubs, as he sat in his position in the B 17, with a full load of bombs on takeoff, he said that coming down the runway with trees getting closer and closer he would close his eyes & pray. "We always missed clipping/hitting the trees by just a few feet." As a children we didn't appreciate what those young men went through. Today...I get it! Mr. Veenbore is still my hero.
outcast668 The gunners and radio operators might have been 19-21 year olds, but the pilots, bombardiers, and navigators were officers and mostly in their mid to late twenties. The technical demands alone required more education.
The pilots were older, the young pilots were in the fighters. The RAF used to transfer pilots from fighters to bombers as they got older. I’m guessing the USAF did the same?
@@hotrodray6802 You flew in these things? Holy shit, thank you for your service then. I can't even begin to imagine the horrors you witnessed during that war.
B17 take off magnificent. As a English man that knows the history of the 8th airforce based here in the 2nd world war, there bravery and sacrifice won't be forgotten. Respect
a week ago,Christmas Eve ,i had the honor to fly on Sentimental Journey in the nose...from the the pilots bringing those engines on one at a time,deafing roar at takeoff into flight now i have awaking of the stories my father and uncle would tell of flying into the target...balls of steel...LOVE OF COUNTRY! A big THANK YOU to everyone involved with Sentimental Journey...
Even a roller-cam v8 is hardly a match for the rumbling of a two-row turbo-supercharged R-2800 radial engine. And that's just at ground idle speed. The mighty camring (instead of camshaft) in that engine produces is second to none.
I am from Uruguay, 85. I rode in a DC-3 (Pluna Airlines) back in 1965 and the noise was considerable. Can imagine what it was like in a B-17. Then in 2008, while visiting some friends in Oyster Bay NY, I saw a vintage B-17 slowly overflying us, from ground level it wasn't that noisy.
Where I grew up in England we would occasionally have Lancasters and or Spitfires and Hurricanes fly over for holidays and special events. The roar is incredible and yes, you can feel the rumble. God bless all the men that flew in these magnificent aircraft around the world and risked everything 80 years ago! Thank you 🙏
Also, the fuselage skin itself was only thin aluminum about 1/32 inch (0.8 mm) thick. That would not have much effect in stopping flak or a bullet. Scary, indeed.
Met an older gentleman in mkt, he always wore a B 17 ball hat. I spoke to him one day and asked he served as the ball t gunner, the gent was 5 2. No he said I got there before everyone else. He was the bombardier. Said he saw awful things on his canopy, I read between the lines! Then he stopped comming to the mkt!
My Dad was a navigator on these things sat behind this position to the left side. Had to find their way across the North Atlantic, Gander, Greenland, Iceland, by compass, clock, and sextant, find the radio beacon in Stornoway Scotland, and on to Valley, Wales to deliver the brand new plane. Then go to their assigned base by train. And fly 35+ missions.
Saw Sally B at an air show here in the UK back in the seventies. When she turned around to start her take off roll she nearly blew the crowd down. The smell of fuel was intoxicating and she covered us with smuts from the engines.
Its hard to comprehend being sat in that position for 8 hours a day, nearly every day for 3 years.....if you were lucky. I'm a proud Brit, and proud of the RAF......but just as proud of all the Yanks who fought and died along side us. Look at the world today, was all the bloodshed worth it, on all sides ?.
About 1960 my Dad's good friend had been a B24 pilot in the Pacific. He told stories of flying off the runway end at the cliff and dropping full flaps so it would fly across the waves for miles to get it to climb.... About 4 tons over gross. We knew several crewmen and pilots and many WWI, WWII, Korea veterans face to face. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
'Slipping the surly bonds of Earth', seems pretty much the same as taking off in a micro light excepting with less historic significance & a lot colder. Hell I love prop driven aircraft - Thank You, stunning vantage point.
Don't get me wrong, I don't envy the young lads that had to do this heading off knowing they probably wouldn't come back. But damn, can you imagine how exciting that must have been considering most of these lads had never flown before? What a view! Great video!
Could you imagine being in that seat with zeros flying straight at you or the German fighters? Atleast if you were a gunner you had a chance to shoot it down.
I could have watched that for hours. Sadly, while watching it you know some people sat in that seat saw some stuff, some real stuff, Glorious bastards, heros, the lot of them.
Probably had enough of that. Tend to their gardens or whittled wood most likely. When a flack burst erupts in your face and you live, you've had your fun.
Got to take a flight in the Texas Raider B-17 at Ellington AFB near Houston in ‘86 or ‘87. I was humming the theme of 12 oclock high most of the flight.
Been there and it was indeed the best seat ever. Switched places with the fellow with me halfway through the flight. On the cabin wall was a small card with a picture of a USAAF officer. Bombardier, 2/Lt, 19 years old, killed on his first combat flight. Sobering thing to read. I was doing it for fun and returning. He did it for real and didn't come home alive.
If any of you see The Best Years of Our Lives listed starring Dana Andrews and Fredric March among others, about WW2 soldiers returning home after the war, there's a good scene of a couple of the men getting a flight home in a B17 and sitting in the nose section. The scene might be on RU-vid but I haven't looked, but it was a good scene from a good movie.
Beautiful view period. But definitely more enjoyable now than in WW-2. Earlier in the war being in the AAF as a bomber crew was a position that had the shortest life expectancy in combat. Much respect for the men who bravely fought and died to give us the Freedoms we have today! And thanks to the men and women who freely give there time and energy to carry on their legacy.
@@ae747sp5 They or anyone else will never take my Freedoms and Liberties away from this Patriotic American, still breathing. Not without a fight! They had better be willing to risk their lifes because at that point because i will not be talking nor playing games. My rights are non negotiable. Stand up for what you believe in my friend. I am expendable but the future of my children, grandchildren etc.. is Not. God Bless America. Semper Fi
That's got up be the best view in the house! 👍😎 Incidently what graphics card are you using the level of detail in that sim is stunning! 😯⚠️ You can see the stitching and twill weave in those jeans hes wearing! 😁😎😎
