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Memphis Bell

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Basil here a pic from Reno HPIM2258.jpgHPIM2251.jpgHPIM2269.jpgHPIM2262.jpg
 
Thanks Basil.
 
Nothing like the sound of those 4 engines cranking up and heading out. And I will note that technically it is Belle, as in Belle of the ball..
 
Great airplane, built like a tank and did what it was built for, but had one very bad feature, they had no self sealing gas tanks! A lot of lives would have been saved if they had. Once on fire, they fell apart in the air, usually killing everyone onboard.
 
While in Aircraft school I got selected to do some airframe work on a B25. It was in the tail section where the gunner ounce was. The fun part was as the B25 has tricycle landing gear and others were working on the aircraft the tail was bouncing around I think gunners were smaller than me, drilling and riveting was a true test. All work past FAA insp. Madflyer One of the great airplanes in History of WW2
 
I've watched the 1992 ? movie several times. What a tribute to the men that maintained and flew the planes. I didn't know it at the time, I had the grandson one of the waist gunners, I believe, in my music class. I wonder if the kids knew what their grandfather did.
 
Back in 1965 my wife took a pic of me in my Stearman taking one of my boys for a ride, in the background is a 25 belonging to Philco Radio Corp. that was used as a test platform for radio gear, we flew it on pre-determined test runs Philco had laid out, noisy but an honor to fly a survivor. It was bought and restored to it's original dress by "The American Aircraft Museum" in England. It's hanging from the ceiling there for all to see now. So yes as a civilian, I flew a B-25. :encouragement:PJ
Philco B-25.jpg
 
Now that's flying. Closest I came was a 1940? Stinson Detroiter out of Provincetown, MA. Sightseeing. Bachelor friend and I drove up in my TR3 in the summer of 1957. I forgot the top in the garage but we were lucky - it never rained that weekend.
 
Paul great story, when we got the FAA work done we saw it do it's test flight but did not get a ride. My time in Alaska I did get around in seaplanes and sat second in a Grumman water is a bit different. Madflyer
 
I liked those old Grumman sea planes, never flew one, I didn't have a sea plane rating, always wanted one but life never gave me the chance, too busy doing other things. I liked the throttles hanging down from the overhead, a little different from the grass trimmers I flew for sure! :highly_amused:
 
Paul,
Loved every part of that story. I was upset as a kid when they move the Memphis Belle from Mud Island in Memphis to Ohio. Obviously it was a smart move. It would either be flooded or on blocks if it was still at mud island
 
anarchy99 said:
Paul,
Loved every part of that story. I was upset as a kid when they move the Memphis Belle from Mud Island in Memphis to Ohio. Obviously it was a smart move. It would either be flooded or on blocks if it was still at mud island
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Watching that documentary it was amazing the amount of care and detail that went into getting it "right" - even internal parts that no one would ever see!
 
Paul have you seen the Spruce Goose It is up in Oregon now. Now I do woodworking and I built part of an aircraft wing but that is a thing to behold well past my tables and stools. Madflyer
 
Madflyer said:
Paul have you seen the Spruce Goose It is up in Oregon now. Now I do woodworking and I built part of an aircraft wing but that is a thing to behold well past my tables and stools. Madflyer
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We saw it back in the late 80s when it was in LA. Don't know about now, but when in LA we were allowed inside the aircraft. It's amazing just how big it is! Quite an accomplishment of one mans dream, he wasn't crazy, (at the time), as some tried to portray him as, he just had the money to accomplish what he wanted, he just went crazy later. :highly_amused:
 
I, for one, am impressed by the dedication of the restorers, and have stood in awe of my dad's generation for what they endured to defeat the fascist bastages...
 
DrEntropy said:
I, for one, am impressed by the dedication of the restorers, and have stood in awe of my dad's generation for what they endured to defeat the fascist bastages...
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One thing Brokaw got right, "the greatest generation."
 
Yes you can go inside but not in the cockpit you had to pay extra one of my club members did and has pic. It was the four row radial motors that got me. Madflyer
 
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