Page 3 of 3 FirstFirst 123
Results 31 to 45 of 45

Thread: Damn...

  1. #31
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Phillbo View Post
    'blow out' ? I've never heard that term.... was it on fire?
    I haven't either...My ejoomacated guess is that either the air intake or the fuel delivery system was plugged, causing a lack of power in the #4 engine preventing sufficient altitude gain, and the pilot had aborted the mission thinking it could be cleared by the ground crew...One observer reported seeing smoke which could indicate an obstructed air intake...He is said to have made a wide turn in his RTB attempts which makes sense because it would enable minimum altitude loss...All I can do is guess, but we have pilots here, Billy Rightwing springs to mind, who may be able to add more...This is another of those times when I miss Dan's input......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  2. #32
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024
    Fart..

    Feel better?

    I have a hard time believing the loss of a single engine would bring down an air frame that has a history of crossing oceans with half it's pieces missing and multiple engines out...

  3. #33
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Phillbo View Post
    Fart..

    Feel better?

    I have a hard time believing the loss of a single engine would bring down an air frame that has a history of crossing oceans with half it's pieces missing and multiple engines out...
    Me too, if they were tuned for maximum power output as they were on war missions...It was not uncommon in wartime to change engines between missions if enough spares could be kept in rotation for overhaul...The engines on flying museum pieces are tuned for longevity because of the cost of maintenance and upkeep for private enterprises...My previous research for other projects shows that some bombers, particularly B-29's on Tinian and Saipan, often crashed on takeoff because of power loss...Those were also fully fueled and carrying a full load of ordnance, thereby leaving little in the wreckage to determine the cause...

    But we're only guessing here...I'm hoping there is enough to make a sound judgement as to cause after the FAA investigation......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  4. #34
    Join Date
    10-14-01
    Location
    TEXAS!
    Posts
    14,571
    Quote Originally Posted by Truckman View Post
    ......But we're only guessing here...I'm hoping there is enough to make a sound judgement as to cause after the FAA investigation......Ben
    I hope we all live long enough for the NTSB to finish the investigation.
    The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible - Arthur C. Clarke

  5. #35
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024
    I just saw a layout of the airport. The deicing facility is almost even with the runway 6 threshold... He was not lined up with the runway. Unless he landed short and something caused a 90* right turn it appears he would have had to almost fly it right into the building.

    He was cleared for a left downwind and it appears he never turned to final and possibly a very short base.

  6. #36
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike View Post
    I hope we all live long enough for the NTSB to finish the investigation.
    They are slow, but meticulous...I suppose when your own the taxpayer's nickel, you can afford to take your time......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  7. #37
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Phillbo View Post
    I just saw a layout of the airport. The deicing facility is almost even with the runway 6 threshold... He was not lined up with the runway. Unless he landed short and something caused a 90* right turn it appears he would have had to almost fly it right into the building.
    That may have been his only possible approach with landing in a turning pattern on diminished power......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  8. #38
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike View Post
    I hope we all live long enough for the NTSB to finish the investigation.
    Speaking of NTSB, they have removed and quarantined all four of the engines from Nine-O-Nine plus other parts for their investigation...The pilot was the most experienced B-17 driver in history with over 7,300 hours in the left seat...Combat B-17's used as many fuel tanks as they could squeeze into any available space, but according to this article, Nine-O-Nine was equipped with four, one per engine......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  9. #39
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024
    I would have to assume the fuel samples will be contaminated by the fire suppression activities.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024


    A buddy sent me this pic of him exiting Nine O Nine via the bomb bay doors.....
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version. 

Name:	nine o nine.jpg 
Views:	8 
Size:	11.8 KB 
ID:	37095  


  11. #41
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954

    Statement from the Collings Foundation...

    Sad news here, but probably a necessity...
    Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were on that flight and we will be forever grateful to the heroic efforts of the first responders at Bradley.

    The Collings Foundation flight team is fully cooperating with officials to determine the cause of the crash of the B-17 Flying Fortress and will comment further when details become known.

    In the wake of a tragic accident involving our B-17, the Collings Foundation is currently suspending its flight operations and the Wings of Freedom Tour for the remainder of the 2019 season. We are in the process of issuing refunds for those who had reserved flights through December.

    The Battle for the Airfield Event at the American Heritage Museum is still taking place on Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13, 2019
    Standing down flight operations will have a large effect on the upcoming Wings Over Houston event which I attend every year...I can only hope that whatever Collings aircraft are already in Houston will be included in the static display......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  12. #42
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    Video from some of Nine-O-Nine's last logged hours in the air in the days preceding its loss......Ben

    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

  13. #43
    Join Date
    10-21-01
    Location
    San Antonio, Tx.
    Posts
    18,387
    It’s coming out bit by bit.

    https://americanmilitarynews.com/201...ional-airport/

    Although the article is far from truly informative, I fill in some of the pieces in it to get that they were having trouble with engines before the aircraft took off.
    ...............
    “You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out.” — Too fundamental to have an attribution


  14. #44
    Join Date
    08-05-05
    Location
    Deep inside the Central Scrutinizer.
    Posts
    21,024
    I wonder what the guy meant when he said "possibly their last flight" ... Last flight of the day?

  15. #45
    Join Date
    11-22-03
    Location
    In the Village...
    Posts
    43,954
    His recounting of the event will be invaluable in the investigation......Ben
    The future is forged on the anvil of history...The interpreter of history wields the hammer... - Unknown author...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •