I recall there being a thread awhile back about the B-29 named "Kee Bird" which had tragically been destroyed in a fire years ago while they were trying to recover the plane from it's crash site in Greenland. This had reminded me of the great air shows I had attended with my parents as a child when I saw similar planes from WWII. To date, I've only seen one B-29 and two B-17's and I was fortunate at that time because there was such a surge of interest brought on by movies like "Memphis Belle." However, it had been years since I've seen one of these planes in person and I had been remising about it and wishing I could see one again. When I found out that the Experimental Aircraft Association would in be in Greenville with a B-17, I was absolutely ecstatic!

I figured that I wouldn't be the only guy here at VK who would be interested by this sort of thing, so I made sure to get some pictures!

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5974/img0512vc.jpg

http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5563/img0468t.jpg

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/8059/img0474v.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/7943/img0478f.jpg

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/4629/nosec.jpg

http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4623/img0439o.jpg

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/6010/cockpit.jpg

http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/3802/img0450oj.jpg

http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/9878/img0456j.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/5971/img0463f.jpg

It's safe to say that the belly gunner had the worst seat in the house:

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/5172/img0485cv.jpg

http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7214/img0481jh.jpg

http://img683.imageshack.us/img683/9325/img0491c.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/3251/mewithb17g.jpg

I've grown a foot or two since the last time I saw a B-17, but those Wright R-1820's still seem larger than life!

Anyways, it was great to finally revisit a part of my childhood and more importantly, to support the efforts to preserve and share the history of these legendary warplanes. There are only a handful of operational B-17's in existence today, so it's well worth the trip! Here's the schedule from EAA's website in case anyone's interested:

http://www.b17.org/tour/

By the way, would you guys be interested in getting a closer look at the radio room? I have a lot more pictures of the radio equipment that I can upload later.

Oh, yeah ! Please do...I hope this gives people here an idea of what "knocked me over" when I walked thru a -17 at Hickory, NC Warbirds show years ago-How SMALL these things are in person...Everything about them seems 2/3 or 3/4 scale...They are "Great Big" little bitty airplanes-That description only really makes sense if you've actually seen/been in one...I guess people were just smaller in 1940 than they are now..And they're SO "Antique", too...I got to sit in "Fifi", the Confederate Air Force's B-29, the last one of those flying. It was much more like a modern plane, wasn't built to "Munchkin" scale, either. The 17 was kinda like an A Model Ford, while the 29 was kinda like a '54 Cadillac...Still old, but you didn't feel like it was "Prehistoric", either.

Yeah, the B-29 I mentioned was indeed "FiFi" and I recall seeing her around the same time I saw the B-17 "Sentimental Journey", the movie version of the B-16F "Memphis Belle", as well as the B-24 "Liberator". I know exactly what you mean about the size of the B-17. The outside appearance is very deceptive. As a kid, the plane seemed to be of reasonable size on the inside but today, I quickly discovered that it was actually pretty cramped. Most people would imagine the cockpit being about like the front seat of a car, comfortable for two adults. In reality, it looks like it was designed for children. I don't suppose obesity was quite as common then as it is now. This plane was built in 1944, long before Burger King was invented!

The design of these planes is really intriguing to me. Everything is crammed in there, yet doesn't look cluttered. The design of the lower ball turret is pretty much ridiculous; designed in a clever way that does indeed defend the plane from a vulnerable angle, yet is so incredibly uncomfortable and awkward to operate. If you weren't claustrophobic, that death trap would certainly change your mind!

Anyways, here's a better look at the radio room:

Here's the right side forward bulkhead. I'm not sure what this equipment is...

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/9486/img0453ul.jpg

I suspect the radio operator sat over here more often than not, using this:

http://img806.imageshack.us/img806/508/img0454p.jpg

This radio has a morse code tapper next to it. I believe that thing on the wall next to the window there is where they connected their masks up the oxygen supply system.

http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/9323/img0459j.jpg

This receiver looks like it weighs about 50 pounds or more:

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/6521/img0458w.jpg

It's a Wells Gardner & Co. BC-348-Q

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/1513/img0457n.jpg

This is the bulkhead behind that, facing towards the rear:

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/2087/img0455tu.jpg

This looks to be a big transmitter called a BC-375-E. It's tuner is called a TU-6-B. Here's a closer look:

http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/7190/img0462gc.jpg

It has a chart describing how to calibrate various frequencies on the front of it:

http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9028/img0461r.jpg

The racked gear in the first photo is what was called "command" sets. The two on the top are transmitters...the three below are individual receivers for 3 different bands. After WWII they were available surplus for a couple bucks each and were very popular with hams to convert to hamband use.

The BC-375 transmitter is a lunker. Behind the cover with the red warning label you'll find 4 type 211 triodes. Another rig available for peanuts after the war. Old-time ham friend used one regularly with his Hallicrafters SX-28. And, those BC-348 receivers have quite a bit of heft, too. Good performers.

Yeah, the "Command" sets still get scarfed up pretty quickly even now...The one I always wanted was the one that covered the AM broadcast band. They're comparatively rare, & go for Bux.