Sad News

[Reever]

B-17 crashed this morning at Bradley Airport in Connecticut. There are more details but initial reports are rarely accurate.

[LoveOldPlanes]

Re: Sad News

So far heard 13 on board, ran off end of runway after a flight. Looks to have hit the deice fluid tanks at airport. One wingtip and tail of aircraft is all that is left. Two known dead so far. News has ongoing updates.....


This is the Collings Foundation Nine O Nine.

[Plane Nuts]

Re: Sad News

Not good news. We always go and see the Collings planes when the come here. I was fortunate to have flown in 909.

[Desertdawg]

Re: Sad News

Not good news. We always go and see the Collings planes when the come here. I was fortunate to have flown in 909.

So sad, she had been to Reno numerous times.

News reports do not sound good for finding survivors.

[Exhaustgases]

Re: Sad News

I read that it took off and was trailing smoke, engine failure, and turned back to airport. 6 in the hospital and 1 person with no injury's. Not sure how accurate the info is.

[LoveOldPlanes]

Re: Sad News

I read that it took off and was trailing smoke, engine failure, and turned back to airport. 6 in the hospital and 1 person with no injury's. Not sure how accurate the info is.

ATC audio says they had issue with #4 and requested to land. Witness on ground clearly saw them lose #3. Stated he saw them start a wide turn back to field. 5 confirmed dead including Chief Pilot Mac. Can't see how anyone would have survived that with no injuries....

[Samuel]

Re: Sad News

What a tragedy. People ask if it is worth the risk to fly these old airplanes. Compare the videos and pictures on the internet of Nine-O-Nine to the actual combat veteran Memphis Belle. The exposure and history lesson generated by Nine O Nine and the other B-17's that barnstorm the country is incredible. That doesn't bring any of the crew or passengers back, but we can rest in knowing their mission was worthwhile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkC9ZdlzV30

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Sad News

What a tragedy. People ask if it is worth the risk to fly these old airplanes. Compare the videos and pictures on the internet of Nine-O-Nine to the actual combat veteran Memphis Belle. The exposure and history lesson generated by Nine O Nine and the other B-17's that barnstorm the country is incredible. That doesn't bring any of the crew or passengers back, but we can rest in knowing their mission was worthwhile.

Hard to address this with the smoke barely settled.

I can only say that from the magical historical aviation adventures I've been lucky enough to experience and have memories of with these historical airplanes, absolutely tragic that this has happened! I hope this event does not deny anyone the experience of "being there" in a WWII flying artifact. There is risk in everything we do, the reward of, I guess, flipping the coin and deciding to sit at home and watch TV, or do something extraordinary.

I just wish everyone could arrange a ride in a World War II Warbird!

What these guys did, in the air and on the ground..

Thank You!

The accident airplane was presented to the public as an opportunity to experience something hard to describe if you've not been there. When you fly on a warbird, for me at least, visions of history overwhelm me and I become immersed in the smells, visuals... it is hard to truly describe. I'm thinking of a ride in "a" B-17 operated by a museum where I got to be in the tail gunner position from launch to recover. Looking for vids!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Sad News

I hope what I was trying to get through got through.

What has happened is truly tragic!

What would be more tragic would be the denial of anyone further beyond this event to have the choice to experience these amazing flying artifacts

[Reever]

Re: Sad News

Got to ride in "Aluminum Overcast" out of Lincoln Airport in Northern California. I love movies like, The War Lover, Twelve O Clock High and Air Force, but a ride in the real deal sure gives you a dose of reality. I would go again in a second.

[V1670]

Re: Sad News

As the saying goes: a picture is worth a thousand words.....but BEING there is priceless. Got a ride in Aluminum Overcast this last summer in Oshkosh. It's one thing to cruise over Wisconsin on a warm summer day. Sealed windows and fairly comfy. I can only imagine what it must've been like in December,with OPEN waist gunner ports at 30,000 and have people shooting at you.

Those brave souls had some GRANDE CAJONES!!

It is tragic when anything goes down, be it an ultralight, racing plane or a commercial flight. But the experience of flight far out-weighs the risk. Blue skies to those lost on 909.

[Lockheed Bob]

Re: Sad News

Well Said Blue Skies to all lost on 909. Prayers to all involved.