B-17 Crashes and burns

[birdie]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/06/13...tside-chicago/

[Paulus_Gun]

Ouch, that's unfortunate, but at least the people weren't hurt.

[PlaceOfBayonets]

Maybe it's time to stop flying the old birds? Better seen on the ground then not at all someday.

William

[Chet Sowersby]

Just saw some footage on the news here. Total loss... What a crying shame

Chet

[Theodor]

Since a long time I repeat in different threads, that flying old, precious, historical warbirds is Uberstupidity. First, the process of making a warbird airworthy involves replacing half or more of the original structure and parts with new made one. Total, complete loss of originality and history. Second, each year at least a few warbirds end in the shape of a smoking pile on the ground. One more now! Very, very bad!

[Jean-Loup]

Agreed 100% Theodor...
Its like the reenactors who wear original uniforms. and are surprised when one gets torn.

[Douglas Jr.]

Since a long time I repeat in different threads, that flying old, precious, historical warbirds is Uberstupidity. First, the process of making a warbird airworthy involves replacing half or more of the original structure and parts with new made one. Total, complete loss of originality and history. Second, each year at least a few warbirds end in the shape of a smoking pile on the ground. One more now! Very, very bad!

I second that.
I know that many of such entities raise their precious money for further restorations with this activities, but I think it is time to change. We are not in the 50s and 60s anymore when you could find old warbirds lying around in several scrapyards.

Douglas

[Thorsten B.]

Yes and No - when one restores an old car, tank or any other military vehicle nobody has a problem with replacing spare parts being rebuilt or make engines a bit better due to possibilities of today.

Watching a rolling museum is not only much more fun for everybody (that hobby must attract people) but there is a lot that can be learned - the fascination comes with the object being alive!

Whereas standing cars in museums are not so attractive and look just unapproachable so no young man/woman will fall in love and help keeping them alive.

Furthermore: a standing object is a dying object.

Most museums have the biggest damages not caused by fire, grabbing visitors or thefts but by the vehicles just standing there and not keeping them running properly in the open on a regular basis.

[Robert Shoaf]

Very, very sad to see. That particular B-17 visited Pittsburgh in the past, and I went through the interior of the plane. I believe a flight was @ $ 400 or so.

Bob Shoaf

[Chet Sowersby]

Here in the states we have The Collings Foundation. It has an annual tour of the country from the East Coast to the West Coast. The tour consists of a B-24, B-17, and a B-25. The rides are something like $450 I've be fortunate enough to fly in all three of the aircraft. I would recommend it to anyone who has an intrest in WWII avaiation. I used to be of the opinion "keep 'em flying" . More people have exposured to them this way and it educates the public more so than being in a static situation such as a museum. Since these ships are located on the East Coast I would never have been able to view them. Now, I am torn as to seeing these wonderful aircraft flying as opposed to just sitting on the ground at some museum that very few people will ever vist. Seems like each year one of these aircraft is destroyed or damaged someplace around the world. As many have already noted there is only a very small number of these war birds left. After viewing the news of yesterday and I'am leaning more to keeping the remaing aircraft safe and on the ground.

Chet

[Sebastien T]

Very sad, here's some pictures

http://www.wgnradio.com/news/chibrkn...,1357319.story

Seb

[Alan Smith]

I, too, used to be a hard core "keep 'em flying" guy but am beginning to rethink that posture. Time is not on our side with these historic aircraft and at some point it will be time to keep them (safely) on the ground, in nice climate-controlled display areas.

[MauserKar98k]

Agreed 100% Theodor...
Its like the reenactors who wear original uniforms. and are surprised when one gets torn.

That's a good simile J-L.

It's good to see the old birds in the air, but it's just a matter of time until something like this happens and then they are gone forever. It's not worth the risk anymore.

[paddywhack]

seeing those pics brings back memory's of Kee Bird

[prussian.guard]

Made it all the way through the war only to end up burning in a corn field.that is what is truly sad.