On Display: World War II B-17 "Flying Fortress" wi

[VTX 1800]

http://www.b17.org/

Yesterday I was in downtown Orlando at the Orlando Executive Airport, not the big one, Orlando International, the small one!
If you remember the old Navy Boot Camp base, well this one is a stones throw away, on Colonial Drive/SR50.

This bird is awesome to look at.
For a measely donation of $6.00 USD you can tour the World War II aircraft AND here's the bonus; they will let you crawl INTO the Aircraft!
You gotta look at this aircraft! Guns up front, two or three in the tail, WOW.
For you Army and Air Force pukes, get this, if you carefully look at the part number plates on the aircraft they will say:

US Army Air Force

This was the precursor to todays US Air Force!
Army Pride! Air Force Heritage!

I am going to request permission to park my VTX on the tarmac and take a picture with this grande ol' lady!

I'll be there around noon time/12:00pm today, Sunday.
Give me a jingle or just show up! Mobile: 407-256-3198

Oh yeah; umm; want a big bonus on top of this?
They are offering A FLIGHT on this B-17!!
Yeppers, get your flight wings on this B-17!

See you there!!!

[matchstick]

A couple of years ago the B-17 and the B-24 came in at our local field.Me and my father took the walk though the B-24,the same type aircraft he flew 17 missions on,having to parachute out of the last one as the plane went down.

[Tackleberry]

I work on Jets and helping those guys out landed me a free ride a few years ago on the B-17 when they were changing airports. Unfreaking real. I had my head out of the navigator's observation window in the top and the B-24 was flying in formation. You can move through out the A/C to all the gunner positions except the tailgun in flight. I've been in a lot of aircraft/helicopters, one of the best. Those big radials sound like being in the middle of 100 VTXs. They shake your bones. I would like to pay and fly in the B-24 when ever I run into them again. If I remember right it is the only one in the world in airworthy condition. My grandfather also flew them in WWII and to see him light up when we talk about it is something else. It is a little pricey but totally worth it. I would highly recommend going for a flight. Something I am glad I did.

[VTX 1800]

I work on Jets and helping those guys out landed me a free ride a few years ago on the B-17 when they were changing airports. Unfreaking real. I had my head out of the navigator's observation window in the top and the B-24 was flying in formation. You can move through out the A/C to all the gunner positions except the tailgun in flight. I've been in a lot of aircraft/helicopters, one of the best. Those big radials sound like being in the middle of 100 VTXs. They shake your bones. I would like to pay and fly in the B-24 when ever I run into them again. If I remember right it is the only one in the world in airworthy condition. My grandfather also flew them in WWII and to see him light up when we talk about it is something else. It is a little pricey but totally worth it. I would highly recommend going for a flight. Something I am glad I did.

Hey Tackleberry;

ROUND ENGINES

DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE WHO
FLEW BEHIND ROUND ENGINES

We gotta get rid of those turbines, they're ruining aviation and
our hearing.

A turbine is too simple minded, it has no mystery.

The air travels through it in a straight line and doesn't pick up
any of the pungent fragrance of engine oil or pilot sweat.

Anybody can start a turbine. You just need to move a
switch from "OFF" to "START" and then remember to move
it back to "ON" after a while. My PC is harder to start.

Cranking a round engine requires skill, finesse and style. You
have to seduce it into starting. It's like waking up a horny mistress.
On some planes, the pilots aren't even allowed to do it.

Turbines start by whining for a while, then give a ladylike poof
and start whining a little louder.

Round engines give a satisfying rattle-rattle, click-click, BANG,
more rattles, another BANG, a big macho FART or two, more clicks,
a lot more smoke and finally a serious low pitched roar. We like that.
It's a GUY thing.

When you start a round engine, your mind is engaged and you can
concentrate on the flight ahead. Starting a turbine is like flicking on
a ceiling fan. Useful, but hardly exciting.

When you have started his round engine successfully your Crew
Chief looks up at you like he'd let you kiss his girl, too! Turbines
don't break or catch fire often enough, which leads to aircrew
boredom, complacency and inattention. A round engine at speed
looks and sounds like it's going to blow any minute. This helps to
concentrate the mind!

Turbines don't have enough control levers or gauges to keep a pilot's
attention. There's nothing to fiddle with during long flights.

Turbines smell like a Boy Scout camp full of Coleman Lamps.
Round engines smell like God intended machines to smell.

Pass this on to an old WWII guy (or his son, or anyone who flew
them, ever) in remembrance of that "Greatest Generation."

PS: This author never tried to start a RB-211 on a extremely cold day.

That engine rumbled and groaned and sent out a great smoke screen........