B29 FiFi Flew Over Today

[Greenleaf]

So I'm heating my lunch in the microwave and I hear this deafening loud low roumble roar over top the school and bee-line it out to the front of the bus garage and I'm looking up at the belly of one of the most impressive airplanes from the Big War... ... . Boeing B29 Superfortress on it's final aproach into our fair city, Mansfield Ohio Oo. I was caught up in the moment looking at it's big a$$ tail I failed to realize a B24 Liberator was following it The Lib made a long lazy circle around the county and flew over once more w/landing gear dropped.



For those of u who follow the B29... . she made it safely to earth here in Ohio.

Some specs on the old girl;

Wing Span,141ft

Fuselage 99ft

Bomb Load 20,000lbs

Oil Cap. (each engine) 85 gals

Engines, 4 Wright Cyclones 18 Cylinder R-3350 @ 2,200 hp each (guys, that's 3,350cid)



FiFi is the last remaining airworthy B29 anywhere. These things were scrapped, along w/all other aircraft,as they were replaced by newer, more modern planes . Kinda like you and I would throw out old underwear.



Retired Gen. Chuck Yeager was dropped from one of these planes when he flew in the X1 something or other to break the speed of sound.



I drove over to the airport and got off some great pics of the planes. Nobody was around!!! Had then all to myself



Scott



The B29 "Box's Car" which dropped the second bomb is just south of here in Dayton.

 

[klenger]

I saw a B-29 in Denver. I think it was owned by the Confederate Air Force. There's also one on display at the Pima Air Museum here in Tucson. I was impressed with the max altitude (somewhere close to 40K) and airspeed of the B-29.



Cool

 

[michigandon]

I saw FiFi fly over at my place of employment once too! On her way to the show at Willow Run, no doubt. I also saw a B-17 and a B-24 in the air (together) once.



Another "29", "Doc", is in the process of being restored to airworthy status even as we speak. The restoration is taking place inside the old Boeing Witchita plant were they were built, and a few members of the restoration team actually worked there when they were in production! Cool huh?

 

[Sojourner]

If you get a chance, check out the inside. The CAF charges a few bucks (to help defray expenses) for access. I bet they do that while it is at your location. I checked out both the B-29 and B-17 on the inside. Pretty awesome old warbirds.

 

[Greenleaf]

I had an opportunity to stop in and tour the B29 while the crew stoped over in Toledo a few years back. Nice time to set and chat w/ the crew and met the guys who flew these birds stationed in the Pacific during WWII.



The best part was meeting an actual member of the famed Fighter Group Zemkies Wolfpack, 8th Air Force who flew none other than the "Jug" during their tenure in Eruope.



Scott

 

[RT66DOC]

I, too, had the hair-raising goosebumps pleasure of seeing B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" roll down the runway, lift off and fly right over my head. Awesome. Been partial to B-17s since I was a kid.

 

[Philip]

The sound of those 4 Cyclones running is something you won't forget. FiFi is a nice plane. I have seen her in the air a few times. She fly's over this area pretty regular during show season.



I love the sound of a Mustang.

 

[Jengle]

Nothing like the sound of a radial engine, unless its an inverted V-12, liquid cooled. They had a Wings of Freedom airshow here last year, where they re-enacted all the WWII battles, Pacific and ETO, had about 40 of the vintage aircraft beating up the field at one time, with the bombers making their runs and the fighters buzzing around them, and ground based pyrotechnics. I missed a P-51 on his landing rollout, thought that was the end of his run, and just when I took the camera down, they set off a wall of flame behind him. That would have been a great picture. Those aircraft get my attention more than the jets do. One time about 15 years ago, I was working at Dulles as a ramp rat, when the B-17 Texas Raider came down the taxiway to park on the ramp my airline used. No one was there, and an ops vehicle came up and asked if I could flag him in. That was cool, but right after that, my own aircraft started rolling in, so I didn't get to hang around with the guys that brought it in. I got some pics of it parked with no one around, though.

 

[Hammer]

greenleaf...

Pics dude,where are the pics of this impressive piece of our history????... . Andy

 

[loncray]

A friend of mine (far more into aircraft than I am) paid a load of money to go flying in Fifi a few years ago - says it was worth every penny.

 

[smartineau]

Went for a ride in 'the dragon and his tail' the Collings' foundation B24. It was great!!! I grew up hearing B24 stories, it is hard to imagine anyone going up a second time after being shot at the first time. It is not a whole lot thicker than an aluminium can. The noise is incredible, those four big engines can make you almost deaf in a few minutes.



steve

 

[Elite1]

I had an opportunity to stop in and tour the B29 while the crew stoped over in Toledo a few years back. Nice time to set and chat w/ the crew and met the guys who flew these birds stationed in the Pacific during WWII.



The best part was meeting an actual member of the famed Fighter Group Zemkies Wolfpack, 8th Air Force who flew none other than the "Jug" during their tenure in Eruope.



Scott

Greenleaf, Last year in Dayton, I had the pleasure of meeting Hub Zemke's son, Hub Jr. , he gave my Uncle a hand made gavel, made by his father. He wanted him to use it to open the meetings for the Eagle Squadron Association... said his father would like that. My Uncle flew Spitfires with the American Eagle Squadron RAF in WWII and then was transfered to the famed 4th fighter group, 8th Airforce USAAF, where he flew P-51's. There was a friendly rivalry between the 4th and the 56th (wolfpack) during WWII.

During the war, both Zemke and my Uncle where shot down and imprisoned in Stalag Luft I POW camp... Hub Zemke was the highest ranking officer in the camp and was in charge of all POWs, when my Uncle, a Major at the time, was captured he was hurt pretty bad, 2 broken legs a broken tail bone and then was beat up pretty badly as well by the local villagers... . Zemke demanded medical treatment for my Uncle and later, since my Uncle was one of the higher ranking officers in camp, put him in charge of supplys, rations, clothing, red cross parcels etc...

Dayton is a great town, I enjoyed my brief visit there, love the aviation museum!

 

[Andy Perreault]

During the war, both Zemke and my Uncle where shot down and imprisoned in Stalag Luft I POW camp...

I just bought a DVD of the movie "The Great Escape". On the DVD, there is a short feature about the making of the movie, and how they built the sets, etc. The film crew built a complete replica of one of the Stalag Luft camps in a clearing in a forest in Germany, and they brought over former British POW's as technical advisors. The advisors were quoted as saying "It was so close to the real thing it was frightening. " I have a new appreciation for the movie since I saw that feature. Gotta love that theme song! I highly recommend this DVD.

Andy

 

[ndennis]

Greenleaf: I was really looking forward to FiFi's West Coast tour a few years back when they had major engine trouble that caused them to cut the tour short. I have never seen a B-29 in the air, and since FiFi is based in the east, I probably never will. I darn near cried watching the video of the Kee Bird burning on the Greenland glacier 10 years or so ago. As far as Box's car goes... I believe it is Bock's Car.

RT66DOC: I am not sure if were aware or not... Aluminum Overcast had a gear collapse a couple of months ago in Van Nuys CA. Damaged all the engines and props, I believe. Out of action for awhile.

N Dennis

 

[McDowra]

don't know who the moron in the picture is but here is AO b17 crash



http://www.ehowa.com/features/b17landinggear.shtml

 

[ndennis]

"Moron" is too kind a word.

N Dennis

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

That was a problem with the gear locks. It wasn't that the pilot landed gear up. The gear gave way after landing.

 

[McDowra]

best birthday I ever had wife suprised me with a ride on a B17. It is worth ever penny I will do it again.

 

[Greenleaf]

Pics!?!?... . You want pics!!!???



Sorry guys. I have been on the road tracking this hurricane. I have all the pics you could want!!!!



After she touched down (the plane not the hurricane)I got my dad and we hi-tailed our fannies over to the airport. There was like no-body there!!! I took several w/no crowd to ostruct the view.



This is my problem... ... ... . I need help guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



My pics are1. 35MB

The TDR limit size is like 190. 4KB

I can't get them to post!!! HELP!!!



Please PM me or just give your e-mail and I'll send you two or three to post here if somebody is up to it.



... ... ... ... ... ... ... PLEASE... ... ... ... ... ... .



Scott

 

[Philip]

Email them to me Scott.



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