Col. Rohr wrote:
Hi Guys,
Just got done watching the Video, If you look closely it appears that the Tail Wheel was un-lock so it can be be pulling the tail-wheel lock.
It appears some-one grabbbed the gear instead of the flap handle, watch the video in slow-motion notice how the right main retracts.
Also it appears she might have sufford a Bellie Turret rupture thru the top of the Fus. if so then we are looking at a long down time from rebuild.
Either way you slices it not a good day at all.
I wouldn't put too much emphasis on the tailwheel lock/unlock issue. There could be any of several things going on there. The tailwheel will shimmy severely if too much weight is on the tail. There is an aluminum shear bolt that will "unlock" the tailwheel, if too much shimmy or other sideload is put on it. If the tailwheel was trying to retract too, no telling how it would behave with the weight still on it. My guess is that it was locked. Otherwise, they would likely have ventured much farther from the runway center line, depending on the winds.
"Handle" is a misnomer in this case. The gear and flap controls are actually just toggle switches on the B-17. They were designed long before the FAA mandated standardized control shapes. The gear switch is a three-position toggle (up, neutral/off, down). It must be pulled out to release it to move from the neutral position. It must be manually returned to neutral after the gear movement is complete.
It does look like the ball turret brace punctured the top of the fuselage. I hadn't noticed that before when I watched the video. One thing that *may* mitigate the damage to the fuselage is that the wheels don't retract all the way into the nacelles on B-17s. Maybe they helped reduce the impact. Wishful thinking anyway.
Blake
Volunteer - Lone Star Flight Museum
crew chief - Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress "Thunderbird"
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