New site with great air to air firefighting pictures

[Larry Kraus]

My good friend Mike Lynn,who's a former air tanker pilot and current leadplane pilot has a new website featuring a number of his excellet photos,among other things.Its mainly aimed at people in the business,but is worth checking out.

http://firepirates.com

[Ztex]

Very Cool!

OK Which airplane is this and how long did it stay that way?


http://firepirates.com/photos/98.jpg

[Scott Rose]

Thats this one.
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/b17regis ... 26107.html


She was lost in an accident in 1970

[Punisher05]

A B-17 with turboprops?????

Then again, we had a truboprop-equipped DC-3 flying relief supplies in during Katrina.

Great photos!

[Elroy13]

Thats some great photos!!! Thanks for sharing Larry!

[sledge39]

.......She was lost in an accident in 1970

...this is what happened ....

http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=1592&key=0

[Larry Kraus]

In reference to the turboprop B-17,there was a pretty good article about this airplane in Flypast magazine last summer.Unfortunately,I don't have access to my copy at the moment as I'm in Florida and the mag is in Oregon.It came out sometime between June and September,but I can't narrow it down closer than that at the moment.

Over the years,I've heard a few theories concerning the accident.Ralph Rensink saw the crash and told me that the word was that the pilot was experimenting with using Beta pitch on the inboard props as a speed brake on steep drop runs.

Another report said that the co-pilot had told various people that the Dart engines were slow to spool up and took considerable lead time to react to power increases,at least to pilots that were used to R1820's.

I also heard some speculation in the early 70's that a contributing factor was that the twist built into the vertical stabilizer and dorsal fin on the B-17 was intended to counteract torque from the 1820's and Hamilton Standard props.The Darts and their props turned he opposite direction,which would make the built in torque compensation counterproductive.

[RNDMTRS4EVR]

Larry;
What are you doing in FL? Aren't you supposed to be helping the maintenance guys in Redmond get the Diesel 7 ready for next year? You guys do have a state contract next year, don’t you?
Scott…….

[Larry Kraus]

Hey Scott,I certainly hope that Butler has 7's on at Redmond and Medford again,or I'll have to get a cardboard sign and stake out a good fast food dumpster this summer,I might avoid the Taco Bell dumpster for a while,though.

I worked in the shop in Redmond from 1979-1981 and learned a tremendous amount of useful maintenance information,techniques,and tricks that have come in handy over the years.

However,I went back to work for the Beech outfit that gave me my first full time civilian flying job in 1971.They moved from Mojave to Sanford in 1979.I went to work for TBM as a B-17 c/p in 1975 and still flew a Beech in the off-season through the spring of 1979.

I had a winter job flying freight in Beech 18's out of Sanford,Florida for Express Airways from 1982-1993 when they went out of business.The last time that I tried to spend the winter in Redmond was 1994.I made it until December 5th,when It hit -17 degrees overnight,had a high of +6 and was snowing.Sanford sounded good,with or without work.Now,I just make a sort of pre-emptive move in November and head home in March.

I've got too many dings and dents to survive in cold weather any more.I ruined the circulation in my feet and hands flying Beeches in the winter.I start to sieze up when it gets much below 70 degrees these days...

[RNDMTRS4EVR]

I can understand that! I hate the cold, but I like the pay checks I get here in Wyoming to much to head for a warmer climate. It is nice for me to have a very well insulated hangar and some really good heaters. Enjoy the warmer weather for me while you’re down there. Nice here today it's close to 60 and a light breeze, snow in forecast for Monday. You got to love the winter weather in the Rockies.
Scott.....

[Phantom1200]

Great link, thanks for posting.