Warbird Information Exchange

I've seen 909 flying around since the early 1990's. It was the first B-17 I ever got to crawl inside of. Last year the wife and I did an RV trip to Cody, Wyoming and stayed next to the airport. Low and behold, here comes the Collings aircraft to visit for a few days. My wife and I went over and toured the aircraft. Even though she is not an aviation enthusiast, my wife enjoyed talking to the Collings crew on scene. We got talking to one older gentleman from Collings. He was very friendly and happily answered my neophyte questions. I heard someone mention the gentleman was the chief pilot on the B-17. I was told he was one of the most experienced B-17 pilots around. I'd forgotten his name after our trip. Unfortunately I was to be reminded of it when I saw his picture on TV the other day during a news story of the crash. It was Mac we'd met. I was very saddened to hear of his passing along with the others. I too wore my 909 shirt in memory of the those on board.

Was very saddened to hear of this terrible accident, condolences to all who knew those souls.
I have not read all this thread but would just like to say planes like 909 and the people who fly and maintain them are a great inspiration , who would not look up when hearing the sound of a radial engine flying over


This picture is on a Face book site , and thought it would be nice to share it on here

I completely forgot to mention I also flew on 909 on May 6, 1992, so this makes it even tougher . That was a great experience. Still can’t believe this.

And memories I’ve forgotten till now. Like coming home LA 2015 from the Sonoma vintage race via Concord , seeing the 17 over head a couple miles away and texting a friend then driving over there to see it fly and the 24.

This is a vid I took in 2017 on one of my many American Aero visits. It's nothing fancy, just doing some engine runs. I think I have some move vids somewhere and numerous photo's.

Re: DanK...his daughter posted over on facebook of his passing. I have no other information except she said it was not due to a crash.

Sorry for getting sidetracked.

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Demand my respect and never gain it. -Me

...just another plane dreamer.

You mean Re: DanK's post about Petie 2cnd...Tony Buechler passed per his daughters notification on Facebook....not DanK.

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

A friend just passed this along to me -- I haven't seen anything to confirm it, but I thought I'd pass it along to the forum:

"I just received info via Jack Erickson and Jim S. that the "17" had been refueled with jet fuel (kerosene) prior to take off instead of 100 oct gasoline. There was enough gas in the lines, carb, etc that enabled a take off. The pilot, which was very experienced in 17's, had power loss after take off and attempted a return to airport but was short of the runway causing the airplane to hit the VASI landing apparatus tower. Each engine is capable of about 1350 hp but was developing maybe only 3-400 hp. #4 is right side outboard engine. Apparently there was a need for supervision of the refueling which shouldn't be necessary. A tragic loss of life and a magnificent machine."

Updating.......

I have found a bit of forum talk about "perhaps it was fueled with Jet A," but it has always been countered with how that couldn't have happened. I don't know the source of the information above, nor who the two folks who were mentioned are, but that's pretty much what I've been able to find as I continue investigating this....

Didn’t they develop the Hoover nozzle to prevent this? The nozzle cannot fit into the gas opening. Also, I do not believe that anybody on the tour would have just walked away and let a line tech try to get up on a b-17 wing or up on a liberator wing.

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

That's one of the "that couldn't happen" arguments that I have read. "Jack Erickson" might be the Jack Erickson from the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon -- the folks who passed the information to me are from that area, but I'm trying to confirm what I can. All I can say is that "very little else would explain why a B-17 with three working engines couldn't make it all the way back to the runway."

Just to clarify...On THIS forum it was asked if the fuel had been checked and a couple of us replied that the NTSB had indicated the fuel(in the right side tank) was the proper 100LL INITIALLY, but further tests would occur. I imagine in this case they looked in the tank and found blue fuel residue. I too wondered why 3 engines weren't enough to get her where she needed to go, but was shying away from speculation....

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

Does anybody know if the Hoover nozzle would even fit into the gas cap of a b-17?

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" I am a nobody in aviation, but somebody to my family."

Just got a confirmation that it was indeed Jack Erickson from the Erickson Aircraft Collection that was mentioned in the message I received. Owner (or whatever the official relationship is) of the Erickson Aircraft Collection, which flies a B-17F (built as a B-17G and modified to be a B-17F) out of Madras, Oregon. Web site is here:

http://www.ericksoncollection.com/

Again, for whatever that may be worth.

That's a fur piece from where the accident happened, just sayin'

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Aerial Photographer with Red Wing Aerial Photography currently based at KRBD and tailwheel CFI.
Websites: Texas Tailwheel Flight Training, DoolittleRaid.com and Lbirds.com.

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD. - Prov. 21:31 - Train, Practice, Trust.

Well, they've got this newfangled thing called the Internet that allows for some pretty fast, pretty widespread communication.

And I would make the point that the network of owners of flying B-17 airframes probably isn't a very big one.