H5 -- WWII Bombers over Arizona Landscape on Vimeo.mp4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czVXxSOsd7I&feature=youtube_gdata_player#)
pretty cool footage!
never got to see a B17 in the air, but used to work closely with some of the smaller WW2 bombers in wildland firefighting, specifically the P2V and the PB4Y. unfortunately, most of the ones i was familiar with have crashed, or been grounded for structural issues.
Ol' mate from back in the 125 racing days now works as a volunteer (its a labour of love) caretaker and tour guide showing visitors around this...
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7095/7313511068_12b93385b6_b.jpg)
here's another of his toys... (I've actually had the pleasure of seeing the Spitfire "touch and go" from the airfield at the foot of Pete's back yard.... that glorious sound is enough to make a man weep in delight)..
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5135/5464637813_dab4e28ca1_b.jpg)
I'm jealous. Be nice to have such fabulous machinery to care for [drool].
My uncle was a WW2 bomber pilot that was on the first mission that bombed German sites and didn't turn around but continued on and landed in Russia,who had become allies at that point.Normally after they had delivered their payload,they would have to run a gauntlet of anti-aircraft flak on the return.
god bless the men who had the stones to take one of these things in to the air filled to the gills with high explosives. unbelievable things to look at... that's when men were men.
My late Dad was an instructor in the old Army Air Corp. And was a member of the Confederate Air Force flying P-6 Texan trainers and T-28 Trojans for years.
I have mentioned it before, but my favorite time of year here in DFW, TX is in the spring when the Museum of Flight at Love Field here in Dallas has a fly in consisting of a B-17, B-24, B-25 and a two seater P-51. And they do fly overs right over my street not far from the airport. Nothing rattles my spine like a WWII radial engine fighter or bomber. [thumbsup] So happy to see those old birds in the sky. Breaks my heart to think that some day they will no longer be up there or I may no longer be around to see them up there. [bow_down]
By the way... really pretty video of the 17 and 25. [thumbsup]
Tomorrow, I'm going to see the B-17 that just flew over my office!