I came across this photo but with no caption or description. Is there any way this plane may have made it back? I know the Flying Fortresses had a reputation for being tough but this sort of damage looks like the cockpit is obliterated and therefore the controls. However..it looks like it might be in some kind of level flight and therefore under some kind of control and certainly the engines are still running. Or is that a shallow dive to destruction? Any thoughts or knowledge of this pic? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Bob I think you are correct. If I recall I read where the B-17 collided with a ME-109 that took off the entire nose section of the Fortress. The aircraft continued in a shallow dive into terra firma.
That photo was included in this book Flying Fortress (Corrected Edition): Edward Jablonski: 9781626549043: Amazon.com: Books My vague memory is the plane did not come back but a few chutes were seen to open.
B17 Mizpah 483rd bomber group Shell went off in nose. Two killed instantly. Kept flying for 10 mins while remaining crew bailed out before plane went down. 8 crew survived and captured. Cockpit location right in front of top turret. 483rd Bomb Group B-17 with nose blown off flying. - MILITARY AIRCRAFT & AVIATION - U.S. Militaria Forum B-17 Picture: The Caption Says It All in Trigger Time General Discussion Forum
Does not look like a 1st generation 737 because the engines are mounted to far below the wings. The 737-100/200's had the pods mounted directly to the underside of the wing.
For the win! I just figured I would try and pull a fast one on Bob and his years of expertise by putting up a pic of the French knockoff.
Well, you got me on that one. I knew that it wasn't a Boeing, Convair, Airbust, or Russian and I didn't have time to look it up. As always, a knockoff of a Boeing planform.
+1 Suffice to note, Bob's not their biggest fan! However, I think they're building some pretty darn nice planes these days. And they do help to keep Boeing at least somewhat "honest"...... Cheers, Ian
I still harbor the disgust at the low ball way they conducted their operations during the 777 program. I have described some stuff in the past so I won't get into it anymore and, yes, they are building a pretty good airplane, I guess.
