View From The Top

Been a long time since I had my head stuck outta' something going 150 plus miles an hour. A long, long time. Hmmmm.....maybe never.

See those knuckles, they're white. I was holding on with the left hand just as hard as you might imagine, while trying to steady the camera (and my head!) and take a picture with my right.

What an amazing ride.

Tail Gunner

It's an interesting conundrum. You're taking this ride in an aircraft that is a major piece of aviation, slash military history. It makes you grin the grin that almost has the back of your head falling off.

But, then you think about the fact that almost forty-eight hundred (4,800) of these planes were lost in combat. A minimum flight crew was nine, a maximum of twelve. Then you do the math.

That's a somber thought. Approximately fifty thousand lives lost, just based on the number of aircraft lost. Not even taking into consideration the two and three, and four or five and six or more crew members lost during a bombing mission where-in the plane was actually brought home, but badly damaged.

I was talking to a guy at the Smyrna Airport that fueled the B-17's in Europe back in the day. He said, "If I was assigned the tail-gunner seat, or the ball turret, I'd have been A.W.O.L".

Dream Ride

So, Sam and I are standing on the apron at Smyrna Airport admiring the amazing restoration job that the Liberty Foundation has done on their Liberty Belle B-17G Flying Fortress. Sam says, "Hmmm......I wonder if they've got any reservations open?"

I knew he was Jonesing to fly in the B-17, he's been talking about it for years. I told him to check it out and do it. He heads over to the trailer to inquire, then strolls back, next thing I know we're both signed up for the final 4:30 flight of the day, assigned to the two crew seats in the cockpit. What?

We stood around for the next three hours, watching it taxi in, take on another crew of eager passengers, and then take-off for the next thirty minute flight. Everytime it would taxi in and the folks would dis-embark they had the biggest grin you can imagine. Over the next few hours Sam and I got more and more excited.

At 4:00 pm they called us up for a "breifing" and assigned our seating positions, and explained the plan for the flight and what to expect. During taxi, take-off and landing we were to remain in our seat with the seatbelt on. After that we were free to move about the plane and observe the workings of the aircraft, the pilots, and also to get a view from all battle stations.

How was it? It was rough, smelly, drafty, and amazingly loud. And, it was wonderful. Thanks Sam for the dream ride. You're the best.

B17-G Liberty Belle

Radial

Curtis-Wright 9-cylinder Cyclone turbo-super-charged radial engine rated at 1200 horsepower. Yep, you read that right, a turbo-super-charged engine.

Now. Multiply that by four.

Much more to come.....

Can You Say......

TUNA BREATH?

Park Place Trial

I'm almost embarrassed to put up a picture of me from Cuba after the World round pics I posted a couple of weeks back. But heck, those cats aren't human anyway.

This weekend, on Sunday the 18th ITSA will host our inaugural trial at Park Place in Goodlettsville. The address is 436 Happy Hollow Road. Here's a Mapquest link. This will be round three for the ITSA south-east series.

Should be a good and challenging trial and it looks like the weather is going to cooperate for the weekend. Hope to see ya' there.....

Do This.....

Do This....

The Second Harvest Food Bank Stamp Out Hunger food drive.

If you don't do this, you suck.

More From Section 6.....

Albert Cabestany again on his factory Sherco in section 6......

Frexia, Section 6

A Little Hang Time

Hmmmm, maybe Michael Jordan was on to something when he would take flight with his toungue to guide him......

This is one of the Junior guys levitating from the creek bed in section 6 while using a tip from Air Jordan.