"Preserving the Constitution, fighting off the nibblers and chippers, even nibblers and chippers with good intentions, was once regarded by conservatives as the first duty of the citizen. It still is." � Wesley Pruden
I was immensely honored to have a flight in a B-17 a while back. It was a bucket list endeavor to feel one scintilla of what my forefathers felt in that lovely bird - minus the terror.
I just hope it makes it into theaters around here this summer. Seems like this area, you're SOL for decent movies, unless you're a fan of Marvel Comics. 7mm
"Preserving the Constitution, fighting off the nibblers and chippers, even nibblers and chippers with good intentions, was once regarded by conservatives as the first duty of the citizen. It still is." � Wesley Pruden
Had a good friend from church who was a Navigator. He received the French Legion of Honor Medal for his action over Europe. He passed last year just a month short of his 100th birthday. He was really disappointed when he knew he wasn't going to make it to the century mark. A great man and Christian for sure. Lloyd Mitchell.
"All that the South has ever desired was that the Union, as established by our forefathers, should be preserved, and that the government, as originally organized, should be administered in purity and truth." – Robert E. Lee
Another of our Heroes from the Greatest Generation gone. RIP Sir!
"Allways speak the truth and you will never have to remember what you said before..." Sam Houston Texans, "We say Grace, We Say Mam, If You Don't Like it, We Don't Give a Damn!"
I could swear yesterday, that I saw one flying over Elizabethtown, KY. I was headed into a local farm and home store and saw it flying towards the E-Town airport. I wasn't paying too much attention until I saw the wing profile as it made a turn, and I noticed the wing shape. I was probably two miles away from it, and couldn't get a really good look, though.
When I lived up in Louisville, I'd often see a C-47 flying over town, this was no Gooney Bird.
You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.
My mom's brother was a flight engineer/top turret gunner on the B-17G "Galloping' Ghost", 34th Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force. Killed on his 28th mission, would have been sent home after 30 missions. T/Sgt. James E. Hulings, KIA 01/20/1945. Rest In Peace. I visited his grave today, trimmed the grass, and planted a Flag. He won't be forgotten.
There’s a B-17 is suspended in the WW ll museum in New Orleans (I can highly recommend it. We took a day and a half) and you can walk around it on a suspended catwalk. What surprised me about it is how narrow the cockpit and fuselage are. After watching the Movie and the TV series, 12:00 High, I would have thought it was bigger. There’s not too much room where a/c machine gun fire or flak fragments could hit and not damage someone or some important piece of gear.
NRA Life,Endowment,Patron or Benefactor since '72.
My grandfathers brother was a Ball turret gunner in a B-17. He was shot down over the English Channel but ended up flying his 25 missions. I was searching for his name a couple of years ago and came across this old picture of him on the internet. When I was a kid he would tell me stories of the things he saw while flying.
Its hard to believe now he would be well over a hundred years old. I sure do miss him and my grandad. He is the man in the middle.
My grandfathers brother was a Ball turret gunner in a B-17. He was shot down over the English Channel but ended up flying his 25 missions. I was searching for his name a couple of years ago and came across this old picture of him on the internet. When I was a kid he would tell me stories of the things he saw while flying.
Its hard to believe now he would be well over a hundred years old. I sure do miss him and my grandad. He is the man in the middle.
my old man was a 8AF bombadier on the b17. he never talked about it much except i remember him saying it was cold as hell and he liked night bombing better than day. he used the norden. he was also in flight school with frank cady, Mr Drucker from Green Acres and Petticoat Junction. i have his yearbook and cady looked like mr drucker even when he was about 20.
My dad was a fighter pilot in the Eighth. He flew Mustangs and escorted B-24s mostly out of Belgium. He told me he went for a ride as co-pilot in a 17 right after the war when they went back to England. Like a lot of young guys before the war all that sounded glamorous to him. But after the war he was the first to tell you there was nothing glamorous about being strapped in a little cock pit for 6-8 hours sometimes and being cold and smelling gasoline all the way to target. Also, on most of his missions they would be up against ME-262s which were 100 MPH faster so it weren't no turkey shoot. He was just mainly relieved when it was over. But then they were facing going to the Paciific. However while training out of an English base he took off one day and got up to 800 feet and his engine froze up. He crashed it in a flax field. After the war you couldn't get him in a plane. In the late 60s the company he worked for sent him to Torrence California on a job. That was the first time he'd flown since 1945. And he later flew to Alaska with my mother once to visit my nephew who was in the army in Anchorage. But those were the only times he flew after being mustered out of active duty in 1945. Once somebody in the family ask him why he wouldn't fly commercially, He answered, "Because they won't let me drive."
Last edited by Filaman; 05/22/19.
What goes up must come down, what goes around comes around, there's no free lunch. Trump's comin' back, get over it!
My father-in-law was a ball turret gunner on a B-17, flying with "The Forgotten Fifteenth". Credited with 51 missions he came home a lived an ordinary life. Best man I ever knew. Rest in peace dad.
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