Gaithering of B-17's

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:02 pm

warbirdguy wrote:

On another forum I remember Mike Luther saying they are going to try to do the B-17 gathering again in a few years since it was so popular.

If that happens again, anywhere, I'll be there! In a few years a few more will have taken to the skies again and maybe the missing will find it in their heart to show up. Wouldn't that be GREAT!

I feel very fortunate having seen several airshows with 4+ B-17s in it. Man, I miss those days at Geneseo! :cry:

I wish I was a bit older and had made it everyday of every year!
Tim

muddyboots · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 4:19 am

am I the only one who gets all tingly when I think of a full flight of them, all painted the same colors, thundering over an airfield? I am not sure why but I literally get all itchy when I think of all those props roaring and the sunlight glinting off burnished aluminum... mwoo!

Elroy13 · **Posted:** Thu Jun 07, 2007 4:52 pm

seabee1526 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:18 pm **Posts:** 459

Thunder 2010 will showcase another gathering of B-17's!

Warbird Kid · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:22 pm

Getting us into the mood again Trae? :wink:

Now thats a show not to be missed! Only wish we could see a tight formation of all of them this coming year.

ZRX61 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:16 am **Posts:** 2308

Be kinda nice to get 10-12 of them & attend en masse at Flying Legends....

Wonder what the cost would be of getting 12x B17's across to Europe for a couple of weeks? :shock:

... checks lottery ticket.... :cry:

MattP38 · **Joined:** Sat May 20, 2006 7:36 pm **Posts:** 273

Well, best of all, thanks to the CAF Gulf Coast Wing, we have Texas Raiders back where she belongs. Hopefully, that will make 9 airworthy. I don't think we could get many more going by 2010. I'm not sure of the status of Miss Angela, and Evergreen International. I know Boeing Bee is undergoing extensive restoration, but will she remain static? While it will be quite some time, seeing Piccadilly, Lilly, Champaign Lady and Desert Rat airborne will be equally exciting.

ww2John · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 7:56 pm

Evergreen Intl B17 - IIRC, don't hold your breath for it to fly anytime soon. I think Jack Cook knows about this directly.
Boeing Bee - I was told clearly by a MOF person it will never fly again.
Miss Angela - ????
Urbana B17 - Quite a ways away from flying, but on the way (alliteration)
Don Brooks "Labrador" B17 - Don't know status of restoration, but gotta be a long ways away from flying.

CrewDawg · **Posted:** Sun Nov 01, 2009 9:21 pm

Yes we plan on trying to take Chuckie to TOM 2010, if we can find sponsors. We figure it will cost around $16,000.00 just in fuel to fly from Fort Worth to Willow Run and back + hotel and all the other expenses of taking a B-17 cross country. Typical B-17 operating costs these days is around the $3500.00 - $4000.00 per hour range.

If any of our fellow WIXer's would like to help make this Gathering of Fortresse's a reality and have the maximum number of Forts in attendance, please help us to find sponsors to finance the trip. Not just Chuckie, but all of the flyable B-17's out there.

Chuckie
Nine-O-Nine
Liberty Bell
Aluminum Overcast
Fuddy Duddy
Thunderbird
Sentimental Journey
Texas Raiders
Miss Angela
The movie Memphis Belle (soon to be renamed)

It's going to take some serious corporate and individual sponsors to make this happen. Half the battle would be if we could get a company to sponsor just the fuel to get all of us to Willow Run.

We at the Vintage Flying Museum are working our tails off to make sure that Chuckie is there. Check out my posts on the "Chuckie" thread in the MX Hangar.

If you would like to be a sponsor or know someone who does, please send me an email/PM or contact Yankee Air Museum as they are the show organizers.

Won't it be incredible to have a formation of 10 B-17's flying by with a bunch of "Little Friends" flying cover as a ME-262 and ME-109 "attacks"!

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Gaithering of B-17's

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