July 26, 2008: Liberty Belle

[xoxoxoBruce]

Don't tell Sunday Girl, but I've got a new love.
Her name is Liberty Belle, and she is one of a dozen or so, B-17, "Flying Fortresses", out of 12,732 built between 1935 and 1945, that are still airworthy.

Hey, you're saying she's old. Yeah but, she was built near the end of the run, and flew the first of her 64 missions, only 18 days before I was born. Besides, I appreciate mature girls... they've been there, done that, and can teach you(me) things.

Anyway, last month she was touring Europe and her first stop back in the states was at Westchester, PA, Airport, which is where we met.
While I fawned, she told me her life story. You can read about it here.

Look at that figure. At 34,000 lbs she's pretty svelte for a 74 footer.


I mean look at that face, she's so cute with those Browning M-2 .50 calibers in her chin.


And a sweet little butt, with more M-2s. sigh


The only problem is, when she taxied up to the far end of the runway, twirling her three bladed tassels, before going for a flight, I spotted this interloper pussyfooting around our runway. Grrrrrr


Well tomorrow we have our first date. We plan to do a practice run against the dreaded Amish with their pointy pitchforks.
I'll let you know how it went.

[BrianR]

Do tell!

[Sundae]

I'm sure she's lovely.
Can't really see it myself, and that's not even jealousy talking

Last time I went home there were lots of old planes heading off in the same direction, and a while later the Red Arrows headed off the same way too. Obviously off to an airshow. I admitted to Dad that I never thought about how planes got there! It seemed so obvious but so odd to see them all flying overhead.

And Dad admitted it still gave him a slight chill, to see warplanes over England. He doesn't really remember the war - he was 5 when it ended - but of course he grew up among the bombsites. For me, seeing fighters over England is a cute anachronism, like going to a steam rally. Dad lived through a time (and the immediate aftermath) where bombs actually fell. It's creepy when I think about it.

[Sheldonrs]

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder. To me she looks kind of plane. lol!!!

[Clodfobble]

Wow... over 2 years of registration and now you decide to hit us with an internet chain letter? That's some balls.

[nmckenzie02]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

Wow... over 2 years of registration and now you decide to hit us with an internet chain letter? That's some balls.

yeah, sorry about that ...it was "per instruction". the rabbit hole is going way deeper than i ever imagined. i think i'm feeling better though.

and now, followed by a poem i like by nicommp called Instructive booklet for both poets and lovers:

Tell me, brother; don’t feel in the air
a certain nameless presence?
It is Poetry, in the form of a woman.
And who is she? Its better if you don’t know.
The alchemy of words is nurtured
by silence, chance, and mystery.

But if you are stubborn, and want to understand,
think of all the cosmic coincidences
that had to happen so that
she could be here, in front of you.
In a universe that tends always to the void,
she exists.

And if you want to see her, it’s very simple.
Just let your senses take you away;
perceive the world with bird’s eyes.
Try to feel the atoms that you are made of;
realize that you contain whole galaxies.

But, most importantly, feel the perfume of the air;
and get drunk with it, get deeply drunk with it,
for all things are miracles.

and finally, for reflection:

if you keep up the appearance of being successful and secure then you'll fool most of the people most of the time.

listen with your heart, speak with your hands.

to represent our image, we have the power to show it our selves.

it's just one of the most amazing things i've ever seen with my pants on..

[xoxoxoBruce]

After waiting for several hours, the violent thunderstorms finally passed over, and we were able fly like the boidys.
The 4 engines were quieter than I expected, and the vibration wasn't bad, but there were still plenty of disconcerting snap/crackle/pops.

From the rear, where the rear landing gear retracts up in the center of the fuselage, looking forward. The ball turret and 2 wing guns, then the radio/navigator room, the bomb bay and the cockpit.


The catwalk through the bomb bay.


Flying over Lancaster County, at 2000 ft, I was reminded what a beautiful state PA is.

[Bullitt]

Very cool bruce, thanks.
What was the interloper.. a hellcat?

Nope.

[xoxoxoBruce]

There were a couple more elderly planes visiting today, but can't tell you what they were.

[Sundae]

nmckenzie02 - I like.

Bruce - still creeps me out, sorry. Real men risking real lives and bodies in a shell of tin (okay, whatever metal it really is) with the odds against them staked higher with every flight.

I thank everything I don't believe in that no man I've ever loved has been called to war.

Anyway, I know you have a different take on it, and it looks like you had a great day. Damn noisy I imagine though?!

[TheMercenary]

Very Cool Pics! If anyone ever gets down this way check out our local museum.

http://www.mightyeighth.org/word/index.php

[xoxoxoBruce]

@ Merc, that looks like a good stop for anyone going through Georgia.

@ Sunday Girl, although war/death/destruction are intertwined with this plane's history, it's about the machine.
When the B-17 first flew in 1934, although it a was purpose built, no frills machine, this plane was state of the art. Commercial air travel was practically nonexistent, boats were wooden, the telephone was a novelty, and a whole lot of people in your country, and mine, didn't have electricity.

[BrianR]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Very Cool Pics! If anyone ever gets down this way check out our local museum.

http://www.mightyeighth.org/word/index.php

Stopped my truck there once...had to park out by the F4 tho.

[BrianR]

I believe your "interloper" was a T-6 Texan, a WW II training aircraft. It's tail is different so it may be an early model...I'm still researching to be sure.

[SteveDallas]

I can't believe you didn't get a better shot of the nose art.