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View Full Version : I got to hang out with a airworthy B-17 yesterday!! pics included,


tigisfat
June 22nd, 2009, 11:06
Often, whilst performing patternwork at Meacham internationalin Ft Worth, I've seen a hangar that says museum on it. I drove to Ft Worth yesterday, so I figured it'd be a good time to stop by that museum and see what's up. Little did I know they have their own flying B-17. It's named Chucky, and I've never heard of it before. Anyway, they gave me a complete tour inside and out after the obligatory donation, which I was thrilled to get. Most museums are pretty uppity, and they won't let you sit in the pilot's seat and make machine gun noises. These guys let me do everything.

Do you ever have those moments in life where you feel like you've finally become somebody that knows what they're talking about? I had one yesterday. The guy giving me the 'one on one' tour got to asking me about what I do, so I told him. He and several other B-17 maintainers told me that they really needed someone with my experience added to their team. They are all guys who've done the same kinds of things I've done, and they need more help. I live just a little to far away to help regularly, but it felt cool that men in their position asked.





http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt32/walkeramerican/B-17%20pictures/IMG_0692.jpg

http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt32/walkeramerican/B-17%20pictures/IMG_0688.jpg

http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt32/walkeramerican/B-17%20pictures/IMG_0704.jpg

http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt32/walkeramerican/B-17%20pictures/IMG_0717.jpg

http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt32/walkeramerican/B-17%20pictures/IMG_0728.jpg


there will be more pics added. I'm sorry about the quality, but these are all phone pics. I did not expect this experience to happen.
crashaz
June 22nd, 2009, 13:37
Hey nice work!! Might have to go check it out myself! Thanks! :wavey:
Snuffy
June 22nd, 2009, 16:50
Pretty cool!!!

Thanks for sharing!
AckAck
June 22nd, 2009, 18:11
Doesn't look to be airworthy right now!? I always thought when you could see a spar through a gap in the wing skin, that was not a good thing...

Brian :d
Cratermaker
June 22nd, 2009, 19:42
I got to see Chuckie too a couple of years ago. Very nice people there. I got to sit in the pilot's seat and climb up in to the bombardier's position. I knew I was going, so I had a compact digi with me.
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww225/Cratermaker_photos/chuckiefront.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww225/Cratermaker_photos/chuckiepanel.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww225/Cratermaker_photos/Chuckierearcabin.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww225/Cratermaker_photos/Chuckietailgun.jpg
http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww225/Cratermaker_photos/Chuckieengine.jpg
tigisfat
June 22nd, 2009, 22:37
Doesn't look to be airworthy right now!? I always thought when you could see a spar through a gap in the wing skin, that was not a good thing...

Brian :d

There are a few panels removed from the bird for the sake of inspecting.
cheezyflier
June 23rd, 2009, 05:23
in the last pic, what are those plugged holes?
Daveroo
June 23rd, 2009, 08:02
TIGISFAT...what do you do for a living? just courious...you said they would like to have you join them due to your expierance/job?......dunno..but what ya dos?
Wittpilot
June 23rd, 2009, 18:12
in the last pic, what are those plugged holes?


Those are the air intakes for the engines and superchargers...

I think..... Remember, my B-17 is scattered across a hanger floor! we haven't gotten that far yet!

-witt
n4gix
June 23rd, 2009, 18:47
Man, she sure has nice looking jugs! :sleep:
tigisfat
June 23rd, 2009, 21:24
TIGISFAT...what do you do for a living? just courious...you said they would like to have you join them due to your expierance/job?......dunno..but what ya dos?


PM sent.
FlyTexas
June 24th, 2009, 08:06
Good ol' Chuckie. Years ago I was speaking with a group of skydivers who said they once had the pleasure of skydiving from Chuckie. I never asked but I assume they exited the aircraft from the bomb bay.

Brian
twosixalpha
June 24th, 2009, 09:24
was cruisin an readin, came across yer pics. theyre pretty good, yep, she dont look too bad.
whiles ah was lookin, however, a boot hit me in the gut, ah suddenly remembered somethin that had been lost somewheres. about a million years ago, it seems, before the end of the civil air patrol days, a retired sargeant major, staff sargeant, and retired lieutenant, who all say they enjoyed korea even less than their operational theaters in WWII, decided to take their son and nephews to an air show in osh kosh wis., I think it was. all the kids were air heads, who loved sitting on the car outside the airport watching planes come and go, and loved the sounds of sonic booms. this was our all guy thing, only past, present, or future, grunts, pilots, or swabies allowed, for it was said for over ninety years, in all the clans that made up our families, that "only kings and soldiers, can raise kings and soldiers, and the princesses the queens will rear". twas on this day, amidst this group, armed with a hand me down yashica mat 126mm camera, loaded with black and white film, that ah saw, felt, smelled and sat in, mah first B-17, and mah first P-51D. the fortress seemed sooo huge, and so many switches, and thises, and clock lookin thingies, and sticks with colored tops, ah liked the small shiney plane wif the black an white stripes better, looked eazier ta fly, an ah like the way the only one stick felt in mah lil hands. remeber
my uncle xsplanin, the mustang, was faster than the fortress, but where he fought, you seldom saw one without da other, ana he wished he coulda flew em instead of them jugs. still there was something about that big green one, with all those engines, and guns, and people, ah kinda liked her a lil more.
ya see the way ah had it figerd, all of us could fit in her, and no one would have a chance agin us, not even those folks my oldest brother is fightin in that asia place. shame she was so dark mah film didnt come out, mustang came out better, still rushed out 2 allowances later and got a bunch of mustang an fortress models, you know mah unk always said it'll take 3,4,maybe parts from 5 difrent kites before you can get it xzackly right, then you kin study for her paintin. thinkin back now, ah dunno how I coulda forgot that day, it was one a the best days of my life back then, wasnt until years later ah finally figured out why my underwhear was wet an it was hard to walk an all.
yep, thems pictures is jes fine, sorta wish a few other folks were still here for me to show them to.
thanks fer lettin us see em, and thanks for the flash baks as well.:icon29:
tigisfat
June 24th, 2009, 09:42
Good ol' Chuckie. Years ago I was speaking with a group of skydivers who said they once had the pleasure of skydiving from Chuckie. I never asked but I assume they exited the aircraft from the bomb bay.

Brian

The tour guide said that they have a platform that can be intsalled in the bay that skydivers stand on and then jump out. He did mention that they used to drop skydivers all the time.
Panther_99FS
June 24th, 2009, 18:32
Cratermaker,
Those are impressive shots there! :applause: