Studebaker and the Memphis Belle

[studeski]

Whoops! Wrong article. http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=242087

[JBOYLE]

Studeski...

It was the Liberty Belle that was destroyed. The Aluminum Overcast is alive and well and living in Oshkosh.


And if you'll allow me to make a recommendation for all B-17 fans out there,
your need to buy The Final Cut, a history of all the surviving B-17s. If you've ever flown on a B-17 (in recent years), it's in there.
http://www.aerovintage.com/final.htm

The Fourth Edition even has photos taken by myself of B-17s when they were still in use as fire bombers in the late 1970s.

Here's a breakdown of surviving Flying Fortresses....
http://www.aerovintage.com/b17loc.htm

[63 R2 Hawk]

I've spent over three hours flying in the Collings Foundation's "909". Highly recommended if you like vintage machinery. Flying in the plexiglass nose is a thrill and taking pics out of the dorsal hatch makes for some amazing photography, just make sure you have a strong leash on your camera! Here's a photo of a Wright R-1820 at the Dayton Ohio Air Force Air Museum: (IIRC, it is a Studebaker, but I can't quite see the tag)

[Bish]

During WWII, My Dad flew on B24s (PB4Y1) in the Pacific for the US Navy. He took photographs of Japanese positions, manned the 50 cal. on the side (he was too tall for the ball turret), and maintained the aircraft (AMM2). So he and his crew did indeed fix their own plane.
Bish

[scott.rodgers]

There is a B-17 undergoing restoration at the air museum in Palm Springs, California (it's almost done). All four engines and the spare are Studebakers! Sorry, I don't remember what it's name was.

[studeski]

Studeski...

It was the Liberty Belle that was destroyed. The Aluminum Overcast is alive and well and living in Oshkosh.


And if you'll allow me to make a recommendation for all B-17 fans out there,
your need to buy The Final Cut, a history of all the surviving B-17s. If you've ever flown on a B-17 (in recent years), it's in there.
http://www.aerovintage.com/final.htm

The Fourth Edition even has photos taken by myself of B-17s when they were still in use as fire bombers in the late 1970s.

Here's a breakdown of surviving Flying Fortresses....
http://www.aerovintage.com/b17loc.htm

Scott,
Thanks. That's only an hour away!

[JBOYLE]

There is a B-17 undergoing restoration at the air museum in Palm Springs, California (it's almost done). All four engines and the spare are Studebakers! Sorry, I don't remember what it's name was.

Miss Angela

[JBOYLE]

During WWII, My Dad flew on B24s (PB4Y1) in the Pacific for the US Navy. He took photographs of Japanese positions, manned the 50 cal. on the side (he was too tall for the ball turret), and maintained the aircraft (AMM2). So he and his crew did indeed fix their own plane.
Bish

That was not the case in the USAAF and the Eighth Air Force.
There was a non-flying Crew Chief who was responsible for the aircraft (with a few helpers), for specialized work, there were specialists on the base that would work on particular systems. The crew chief would have overseen engine swaps, but I really doubt if 8th AF flight crews did much of the "dirty work"...but the gunners did have to clean and maintain their weapons.

What I don't know is how much engine work would have been done on the base. There were specialized depots for heavy engine maintenance and overhauls. I believe work at the base may have been limited to replacing cylinders, superchargers and carb work.

I've read a WWII biography of a B-17* co-pilot where he discusses al the work to change and break-in a new engine. There was a lot to it...each engine had to be carefully "broken in".

*the excellent Serenade to the Big Bird, by Bert Stiles. Bert was a college student and published author when he joined the USAAF. After completing a tour in B-17s he volunteered to remain in combat and fly P-51 Mustangs. He was killed on Nov, 26 1944 while shooting down a german fighter. He was just 24 years old. His book was published in 1947 to wide acclaim. If you go to the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright Patterson,AFB, Ohio and look at their B-17, Shoo, Shoo Baby, please remember him. He flew as co-pilot in that aircraft for a couple of combat missions.

[Steve T]

As John says, the Fort that was burnt-out after a forced landing was Don Brooks' "Liberty Belle"; Mr Brooks also has the very substantial wreck of a second B-17, recovered from Dyke Lake in Labrador a few years ago, and not long ago it was announced that the Liberty group intends to rebuild not just the Dyke Lake Fort but also "Liberty Belle" herself (using a replacement fuselage).

The EAA's "Aluminum Overcast" also suffered a mishap a few years back, her place in EAA's touring program being taken by Gen. William Lyons' Fort "Fuddy Duddy" that once belonged to the National Warplane Museum at Geneseo NY. Both those Forts are now flying again.

S.