Just out of curiosity - Airplane Guys

I agree with you Jim. Back in the day they carried the same fuel load for the mission but also the weapons load. I agree the fuel load was large. Add many gallons of 50 wt oil for the engines and prop pitch control. Maybe 100 gallons per engine? Another ton for 10 men, 200lb , per man average wt. Maybe more for flack Jackets ,helmets and heated flight suits. Lets not forget the weight for maybe a 1k+ rnds for 50 cal rounds for the 13 M-2 machine guns on the G models.
I'm saying for the current tourist flights, no bombs, flack jackets, helmets and Flt suites, 50 cal rounds and probably partial fuel loads for the short flights, that bad boy will leap into the air compared to a combat loaded one.
I read somewhere that near the end of the war, when we established air supremacy, the bombing raids were so massive that if you stood under the flight path, you were bombers for as far as the eye could see, and it took hours for them to all pass. A sight I hope we'll never see again. God Bless all those who fought for our freedom.
 
After the bombers took off from the bases (Sometimes many many bases to do the 1000+ maximum effort bomb runs) the planes would get into their places by circling before heading out the channel/ North sea to do their missions. Fighters would take off later and meet up with their "big friends" on the way in. I can't imagine the daily rumble of hundreds to thousands of P&W R-1830's of the B-17's and B-24's, P&W R-2800's of the P-47's, Rolls Royce Merlins (V 1640ci)in the P-51's and the Allison V1730s in the P-38 and P-39. At night it was the rumble of RR Merlins (joined with the Griffon powered Spitfires, later in the war)in most RAF Bombers and Fighters. AAF bombed by day and the RAF at night. Every boy could tell you what was flying over, without looking up, by the sound of the engines.
 
After the bombers took off from the bases (Sometimes many many bases to do the 1000+ maximum effort bomb runs) the planes would get into their places by circling before heading out the channel/ North sea to do their missions. Fighters would take off later and meet up with their "big friends" on the way in. I can't imagine the daily rumble of hundreds to thousands of P&W R-1830's of the B-17's and B-24's, P&W R-2800's of the P-47's, Rolls Royce Merlins (V 1640ci)in the P-51's and the Allison V1730s in the P-38 and P-39. At night it was the rumble of RR Merlins (joined with the Griffon powered Spitfires, later in the war)in most RAF Bombers and Fighters. AAF bombed by day and the RAF at night. Every boy could tell you what was flying over, without looking up, by the sound of the engines.
Odd as it may sound, I almost wish I could have experienced it. Easy to say now, I'm fully aware of that, sitting in my office where my only chance of bloodshed is if Molly the cat digs me with a claw. I know, I've seen too many romanticized war movies. God bless those men and women, The Greatest Generation.
 
I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath back in '78-'80. Driving around you couldn't drive 5 miles and not pass the location of 3 former RAF or 8th Air Force AAC bases. Pill boxes in the farmer's field. RAF Mildenhall was about 5 miles away from Lakenheath. My barracks was 10 miles north at RAF Feltwell. It was the Officers barracks during the war. Feltwell was used as BX stores storage and housing. The large T2 hangers were still there along with the earthen air raid shelter behind them. Feltwell never had paved runways, so the medium bombers there used the grass runways. The concrete apron was still there with the remains of the tiles stating what base it was. I think the control tower was gone. At the 'heath, there was construction for a new avionics building . While digging they found a (so we were told later) 1000 lb English bomb.
2 yrs later I was stationed at Hahn AB Germany. Totally different atmosphere. Other than the few air raid shelter entrance, there was no trace of WWII. Hahn itself was started by the French in the early 50's. Well, the Allies did bomb the country to destruction. I left in '87.
I still miss Europe. Oh yes, I did have a motorcycle. Both tours.
 
My favorite.:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
10Oct26-P51Mustang (2).jpg
 
Airline I used to work for rented out unused hanger space to people with smaller aircraft so they could be out of the weather and for maintenance. One of them was a P51 mustang, named “Cottonmouth”. Used to walk past it every day, impressive machine. A few times a year the owner would take it out for short run, we all downed tools to watch him fire it up and take off. I don’t know if you guys have seen this machine, the Martin Mars water bombers. On trips to Tofino, a side trip to Sproat lake, we could see two of these floating on the lake, way cool planes, and very impressive to see in action. Don’t know if it is still around, getting parts is difficult today. Check out the short video.
 
I think I read that those planes were retired and placed in museums.
 
Have seen a couple of documentaries about those Martin Mars and the fire fighting work they do. A rôle they perform better than anything else. The pride of the men who fly and maintain them was palpable. Must be one of the best jobs in aviation?
 
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