Did anybody else see the B-17 at Centennial Airport?

[rphenning]

Liberty Bell came to my local airport a while back with a B-24. Talk about rare flying examples, I think the b-24 was one of three left in flying condition in the world. Sad they lost the plane, amazing that everyone was okay.

[2F/2F]

Holy Mole! Another B-17 bites the dust. Sad...and extremely fortunate that nobody was killed.

[pbromaghin]

Is art still with us? He used to post a lot in the newsgroup soc.history.war.world-war-ii. Been reading his stuff in there for years and never knew he was a photographer.

[Ken Nadvornick]

To the best of my knowledge, he is still with us. On May 2, 2009 the following post appeared in The Online Photographer (at the very bottom of the page):

"I'm not dead yet. In fact my entire WW II crew of the B-26 Willie the Wolf are all gone now. I am the last man standing of that brave crew."

Art Kramer
344th Bomb Group
Bombardier on B-26 Willie the Wolf
England France Belgium Holland Italy Germany

In my youth I followed his photography writing, especially during his time at Modern Photography. During all those years I had no idea of his service during WWII. Years later I stumbled across the website I linked to above and was mesmerized by his combat stories and photographs. (Don't miss this story or this photo.)

I'm sure there are many others who also had no idea of his wartime exploits, but instead knew of him only through his photography.

Ken

[toro_mike]

Well, that explains what flew over Chatfield reservoir while I was there. What an amazing plane and what an experience seeing it fly over!! Thanks for pointing this out!

[Steve Roberts]

If there's a bright side to look on (apart from the fact that all survived), it's that in such cases there are usually salvageable parts that go on to keep other examples flying or to complete static exhibits.
One of the saddest documentaries I remember concerned the restoration of a B-29 somewhere in the Arctic Circle. After many problems getting it airworthy it was ready to fly out when a relatively minor fuel leak caused a major fire and the aircraft's total destruction. Unfortunately aluminium burns rather well in the right circumstances, as the British Navy discovered in the Falklands War.

Steve

[Richard Wasserman]

My father was in the Army Air Corps during WWII. I took him and my 2 sons for a ride on a Collings Foundation B-17 for his 83rd birthday. We arranged it as a surprise for him, and needless to say he was thrilled, teary eyed, and reminiscent. The staff were all wonderful and very solicitous—he needed a bit of help getting on and off the plane. It was a good day....

[2F/2F]

If there's a bright side to look on (apart from the fact that all survived), it's that in such cases there are usually salvageable parts that go on to keep other examples flying or to complete static exhibits.
One of the saddest documentaries I remember concerned the restoration of a B-29 somewhere in the Arctic Circle. After many problems getting it airworthy it was ready to fly out when a relatively minor fuel leak caused a major fire and the aircraft's total destruction. Unfortunately aluminium burns rather well in the right circumstances, as the British Navy discovered in the Falklands War.

Steve

That pissed me off so much. That guy was an idiot. He insisted on flying it off the iceberg, against everyone's recommendations and pleas. Way to ruin a rare piece of history for a chance at pumping your own ego, buddy! All he had to do was ship it to a safe location, and it could have been saved.

I believe there may only be one airworthy B-29 left. I happened to see it by chance at Camarillo airport in Southern California maybe 10 years ago. I was heading south on 101 and saw it in the distance sitting by a hangar. I was surprised, to say the least! I was only able to get up to a fence about 50 feet from it.

[lxdude]

And from what I understand, the fire was caused by leakage from a small jury-rigged tank for an auxiliary generator, which they in their haste to fly, never secured adequately.

[cfclark]

And from what I understand, the fire was caused by leakage from a small jury-rigged tank for an auxiliary generator, which they in their haste to fly, never secured adequately.

I've seen that documentary a couple of times and it irritates me to no end. All that preparation to get the thing just barely airworthy, and a mistake made in haste and hubris trashes the plane and the project in about five minutes. Not to mention two perfectly good engines, brought in just for that purpose, are now at the bottom of the frozen lake.