B-17 Simulator (old fashioned version) | FerrariChat
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B-17 Simulator (old fashioned version)

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by ralphedel, May 6, 2024.

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  1. ralphedel

    ralphedel Rookie

    Feb 15, 2009
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    #1 ralphedel, May 6, 2024
    I am putting together a video of a trip two buddies and I took from NJ to the 1961 Sebring 12-hour race in a Bug-Eye Sprite and Saab 93. While looking for some info about the history of the airport/track, this photo popped up on the airport’s webpage. I had never seen anything like it before even though the Link trainer dated back to 1929.

    Given the size of the B-17 the pilots were learning to fly at Hendrick Field starting in 1942, it must have been felt that something more realistic was required. From the looks of these ersatz B-17 cockpits, it appears they were cobbled together from locally sourced materials, which would have been pretty resourceful IMO. Reflecting on this puts the virtual reality we have today in perspective.

    According to Wikipedia, more than 10,000 crewmembers were trained at this field between January 1942 and August 1945 when the base was deactivated. The freedoms we have exist because of the sacrifices made by all who helped defeat those who blindly followed their leaders into the abyss. We will forever be in their debt,
     

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  2. kylec

    kylec F1 Rookie
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    #2 kylec, May 6, 2024
    I think that’s an F-117 cockpit simulator
     
  3. ralphedel

    ralphedel Rookie

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    #3 ralphedel, May 7, 2024
    Good one! Far ahead of its time for sure.
     
  4. AshenFlareY

    AshenFlareY Rookie

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    #4 AshenFlareY, Apr 18, 2025
    are there any other options as to what kind of simulator this could be?
     
  5. Juan-Manuel Fantango

    Juan-Manuel Fantango F1 World Champ
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    #5 Juan-Manuel Fantango, Apr 18, 2025
    That's cool. Even more cool s sprite and 96 running together. I'm guessing the 96 was 2 stroke smoke? If so I'd hate to be behind it in the open top sprite. I'll never forget seeing the first Diesel win ever btw at Sebring, and the support races, the 2SS Saab loudly and slowly following the vintage pack with a blue cloud trailing out back. Not sure how many times he got lapped.
     
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  6. vandevanterSH

    vandevanterSH F1 Rookie
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    #6 vandevanterSH, Apr 18, 2025
    ".....because of the sacrifices made by all....."
    *****
    More than 15,000 pilots and aircrew members were killed in the US during training. (FWIW, more than 36,000 pilots and aircrew members killed during WW II from non-combat incidents.)
     
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  7. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #7 tazandjan, Apr 18, 2025
    Those look like the bombardier training simulators used during WW-II at Kirtland Field.
     
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  8. Rifledriver

    Rifledriver Three Time F1 World Champ

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    #8 Rifledriver, Apr 18, 2025
    I remember seeing something similar for training 747 pilots to acclimate them to being so high and so wide.
     
  9. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    #9 Bob Parks, Apr 19, 2025
    I cannot accept these as" B-17 simulators" for anything B-17. The B-17 didn't need a simulator for anything that I know of and those things don't simulate B-17 height, configuration, or anything else. I lived with B-17's for a while and they didn't have any simulators where i was and certainly nothing that looked like that if they did. The B-17 was an easy airplane to taxi and plenty of us 19 year olds did it without meeting one of those things. It's amazing how something like this can take someone out of their computer back 80 years to the rumble of R-1830's.
     
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  10. AshenFlareY

    AshenFlareY Rookie

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    #10 AshenFlareY, Apr 19, 2025
    I am a fan of various simulators and always study with interest how they have developed. I have tried many different ones - from aviation to racing, and I can say that modern technologies give incredible sensations. There are simply no words, only emotions. I advise you to try it!
     
  11. Tenney

    Tenney F1 Rookie
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    #11 Tenney, Apr 19, 2025
    Cybertruck?
     
  12. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    #12 Bob Parks, Apr 19, 2025
    I should make it clear that the air base to which I refer had a mixture of B-24's and B-17's. So the air was filled with sounds of the R-1820 as well as the R-1830. Some guys couldn't detect the difference in the sound of the two engines. i made a few bucks betting which engine we were hearing because there is, to me, quite a difference between a 9 cylinder and a 14 cylinder engine.
     
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