Make room for the P-61

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

WOW.., i love that bird!!!!! Had an Aurora kit of her when I was a kid.., well it was my older brothers.., but I used to fly it when he was in school!!!!!

Very cool to finally get a chance to see one in person!

There is a great story of a P-61 downing a B-29 from my dad's squadron over Iwo. Fascinating tale!

TAdan · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:46 am

Alright!

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:49 am

Why did the 61 down the 29? Inquiring minds want to know!

Holedigger · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:22 am

The 550th Squadron claimed a crippled B-29 Superfortress, shot down after the crew had bailed out, leaving the plane on autopilot. How do you mark that one! :shock:

Now if Hollywood rewrote it, the P-61 would have flown in close formation and someone would have climbed up into the crippled Superfort, pulling it out of a power-dive just seconds before it crashed into an orphanage full of injured children. Then flown out to sea, sinking several U-boats along the way. Ditched, fought off sharks with his survival knife, swim ashore on a desert island and find a beautiful native girl, but have to free her from the tyrannical Japanese base commander and the battalion sized camp. Amazing how many rounds a .45 holds. :roll:

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:30 am

Didn't they have a bit of a hard time getting that B-29 knocked down? I've read the story years ago but forget the details.

Scott

bluehawk15 · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:46 am

Reminds me of the story about an American fighter (forgot the type) that shot down a C-47 full of nurses that was about to land on an occupied island.

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 11:54 am

I think he was a P-51 pilot. He saw a C-47 preparing to land on an island controlled by the Japanese. He tried to radio them, and couldn't, so he shot out the engines while they were over the water. They ditched in the water, everyone got out and rescued, and flown to his base. he ended up marrying one of the nurses on the C-47. There was just an article about it in a magazine not that long ago. His kill board on his airplane had an american flag among the others on it.

Mudge · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:34 pm

Holedigger wrote:

The 550th Squadron claimed a crippled B-29 Superfortress, shot down after the crew had bailed out, leaving the plane on autopilot. How do you mark that one! :shock:

Now if Hollywood rewrote it, the P-61 would have flown in close formation and someone would have climbed up into the crippled Superfort, pulling it out of a power-dive just seconds before it crashed into an orphanage full of injured children. Then flown out to sea, sinking several U-boats along the way. Ditched, fought off sharks with his survival knife, swim ashore on a desert island and find a beautiful native girl, but have to free her from the tyrannical Japanese base commander and the battalion sized camp. Amazing how many rounds a .45 holds. :roll:

Just add some "filler" flying shots and I'd go see it.

Mudge the film critic :roll:

Dan K · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:46 pm

mustangdriver wrote:

I think he was a P-51 pilot. He saw a C-47 preparing to land on an island controlled by the Japanese. He tried to radio them, and couldn't, so he shot out the engines while they were over the water. They ditched in the water, everyone got out and rescued, and flown to his base. he ended up marrying one of the nurses on the C-47. There was just an article about it in a magazine not that long ago. His kill board on his airplane had an american flag among the others on it.

Try googling Lt. Louis Curdes. He was flying with the 3rd Air Commandos when this episode occured.

Holedigger · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:49 pm

Well, with MAAM's 61 essentially back in one piece, she will be flying in no time! Forget the "filler" clips, we can have a real LIVE Black Widow for the film!! Better start writing that script!

What a great job by the MAAM folks in getting this rare beast back on her feet, um, er, wheels! I want to see pics! I too had a model of the 61 way back when! Gloss Black! Wicked looking.

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 12:53 pm

How much longer do you guys think it will take MAAM to actually start test flying the P-61?

If there past speed indicates anything I'd say 2 years if they don't get hung up on something. Anyone else?

Django · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:13 pm

That's great news!

the330thbg · **Joined:** Wed Nov 14, 2007 3:06 pm **Posts:** 2713

http://www.hvrcc.com/harvey-landis.html

P-61 bags Superfort!

story on the bottom.., or it is in my 330th.org website as well

Not to detract from the marvelous news on the P-61!!! Awesome!!!

Jungle Rose · **Joined:** Mon Feb 01, 2010 2:01 am **Posts:** 8

What a fantastic effort. Hopefuly one day there will be a book/movie of this epic recovery and restoration. A story that rivals Swamp Ghost and Glacier Girl.

When one looks at these aircraft and the extreme locations they were in, you wonder why people like Justin Taylan advocate leaving them where they are. Certainly in a swamp or 300ft below the ice, the aeroplane is not benefiting nor is history.

Its just as well Justin Taylan was in nappies when this recovery was done. Otherwise he probably would have gone out there and tried to stop it like he has done in PNG and the Solomons. Fortunately the Indonesians know how to deal with trouble makers. They shoot them.

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Fri Feb 05, 2010 5:52 pm

Jungle Rose wrote:

What a fantastic effort. Hopefuly one day there will be a book/movie of this epic recovery and restoration. A story that rivals Swamp Ghost and Glacier Girl.

When one looks at these aircraft and the extreme locations they were in, you wonder why people like Justin Taylan advocate leaving them where they are. Certainly in a swamp or 300ft below the ice, the aeroplane is not benefiting nor is history.

Its just as well Justin Taylan was in nappies when this recovery was done. Otherwise he probably would have gone out there and tried to stop it like he has done in PNG and the Solomons. Fortunately the Indonesians know how to deal with trouble makers. They shoot them.

Tell us how you really feel! :axe:

If I'm in the area for the show I'll be sure to make the trip there. I'd love to see it not stuffed in a corner this year (not that I'm complaining about it being there, I just want to see it in a 360 deg kind of way).

Tim

Warbird Information Exchange

Make room for the P-61

Who is online