What a sad loss!
I believe that same bomber was kept in one of the maintenance hangars on the Reserve (East) side of Andrews AFB several years ago prior to its annual air show.
Climbed inside and was astounded at how cramped and crowded the interior was behind the flight deck. Yet, it was fun to touch some honest to God history.
It was a beautiful aircraft representing tens or hundreds of thousands of hours of restoration work. Thankfully no one was injured in this terrible accident. However, it would have been the ultimate WWII reenactment to get to see it go down in flames over that European-looking Illinois countryside!
My late uncle flew a B-17 in Europe during the war. His plane was all shot up over Germany, but he limped the aircraft back to his base in England a made a survivable crash landing. My uncle injured his back in the crash landing, and a military doctor told him he would have serious back problems in 20 years. Twenty years later, in the 1960’s, my uncle DID have a lot of back problems, which ended after he had a steel rod placed inside his back.
I saw one of these B-17’s at an air show at the Maine Air National Guard base, part of Bangor International Airport in Maine, in late May of 2000. I stood next to the spot where the plane taxied after it landed, and watched the whole crew disembark.....they were all wearing vintage World War II uniforms and/or flight gear. It was a thrill.
The only upside to this sad crash is the spare parts that will help to keep other B-17’s flying.
She will be missed.
We had a B-17 event here at Centennial this weekend. Sad to see one of the few last remaining B-17s crash.
Some pics of battle damaged B-17’s at this site:
http://www.daveswarbirds.com/b-17/contents.htm
Oh man, this really sucks! I rode on this plane when it was in the Denver metro area a few years ago. Took pics through its Norden bomb site during my bombing run over the very center of the Denver downtown just a few hundred feet above the skyscrapers! Way cool!
ping
yes it is sad, but there are about 30+ project B-17’s available between a candadian and us locations. Not as rare as say a Martin B-26 or a P-61.
Are any replicas in the cards?
BTTT
Pic shows engines intact. What caught fire?
How sad. Huge part of history. Glad they all walked away.
Serenade to the Big Bird - Bert Stiles
Classic tribute to the B17
Excellent book
Such a sad loss of a beautiful plane.
My uncle was a left waist gunner on a B17 who died in the war.
I flew on the lovely lady with his silver wings - one last time, they took flight.
I wept today when I saw her in flames. But I am so thankful her wonderful crew survived.
Good for the folks on board sad for Liberty Bell. Thanks for the pics in the posts all keepers.