beautiful sound then sight

[WA1GFZ]

I'm out for my lunch time walk and hear P&W wasp engines. Then from the tree line pops a B29 coming in for a landing at BDL. They are giving rides today. a crazy thought to grab my son and take a ride. Then reality sets in $595 and up per head.  P51 also in the area.

[KL7OF]

At least you can hear the round motor sound for free......I get a couple DC6 fish haulers coming in low over my place every day on approach to AKN...I always step out side to get the full effect...

[W1VD]

Heard the sound of round engines mid morning so ran out to have a look. Impressive sight ... bright sun and puffy cumulus made a nice backdrop as it passed overhead. Didn't know they were in the area.   

[w1vtp]

I remember back in the day hearing the B36 bombers flying over head and a very high altitude and that low throbbing sound that all 6 of those motors / props made when synched.  Never heard anything before or after it.  That was back in the day as a young teen when I had nothing to do but stare at the clouds, aircraft and listen to B36s flying overhead. 

Oh wait!  That's what I'm doing now - lots of spare time, except for a lifetime of work has conditioned me NOT to look at the clouds and NOT listen to the stuff that flies overhead.  Gotta work on that.  One of the few things my dad and I used to do together is go to the Rutland airport and watch the old prop jobs take off and land.  Lazy days!

Memories, huh Frank?

Al

[WA1GFZ]

well I only had a half hour away from reality but love to watch the planes come and go.
I'm interested to hear the new P&W geared turbofan. Had a chance to work on one but solved their problem on the phone.
I remember the old prop planes when I was a kid but never saw or heard the B36 it must have been something with all that turnin and burnin.

[W1RKW]

you should hear the sound of a backup diesel engine under load for a Virginia Class when it's in dry dock.  

[K1JJ]

I wonder what they get for a ride in the P51?   Now that would be a trip.


A ride in the co-pilot's B-29 seat is probably more than $595, but would be worth it.

Heck, just walking around the plane while in flight, sitting in the gunner's seats, etc., would be something.

T

[W1AEX]

You have such wonderful toys Tom.

[W4NEQ]

I wonder what they get for a ride in the P51?   Now that would be a trip.
...
T

A friend of mine in Louisville is a pilot and was part time photographer for the Associated Press.  He had a photo deal lined up to fly in a "seat" behind the pilot in a P-51 at an airshow near that city.
So, he's strapped in the back, waiting for the pilot, who for whatever reason, hasn't shown.

He hears talk of a last-minute substitute pilot, and one finally hops aboard and cranks up.
That pilot turned out to be Chuck Yeager.  My friend had a photo run front page in the local paper.

[K1JJ]

Chuck Yeager can be my wingman anytime.


hehehheh - pretty good work, Rob!   Might as well put it on the side of a 777 since we're dreaming.  Like a Trump or Virgin plane.

Not a P51, but there was a time when I did have a plane back in 1980. It was a 1975 Piper Arrow.  Did a Google on it and see it's still flying.  When I saw it for the first time I was sold by the call letters -  N1444X.     November-one-triple-four-  X-Ray.      It was brochure blue back then, my favorite color. Cost $35K, and now for sale at $67K.     The bank repossessed it after a couple of years when I couldn't keep up with the stiff expenses.

Did a lot of flying in it. Variable pitch prop, retractable gear - air, mile high club.  Do a DNA test and find some JJ molecules still on that throttle lever.


T

[WA1GFZ]

They are doing rides in the P51 but the price is north of $1G
The B29 was on the 6:00 news Dan King got a ride and I hear put pictures on th eWFSB site. I saw a shot of 3 ARC 5s in a rack.

[kb3ouk]

B-29s should have ART-13s, in addition to the ARC-5s, and before the ART-13s were used, they had BC-375s in them, so the ARC-5s are wrong.

B-29 radio shack
http://aafradio.org/flightdeck/b29.htm

[Opcom]

I appreciate the cost of operation and maintenance, but $500+ a ride is too much for me!

When buying two of the $17, 30-lb bags of cat food at the local feed store last week, I noticed a couple cylinders from a radial engine. The owner confirmed that one customer dropped them off there to be picked up and rebuilt by another, as a convenience. With hobbies and work consisting of aircraft, I guess those guys probably buy the $35 bags for their cats..

[K5WLF]

I appreciate the cost of operation and maintenance, but $500+ a ride is too much for me!

Yep, me too. A friend of mine was at Midland at the CAF AirSho last year with his uncle. Uncle turns to him and says "Let's take a ride on FIFI. I'm buying." It was $600 each to ride back amidships, but he loved it anyway. I think he said cockpit rides were either a grand or $1200. There's a B-25 over at either Love or Addison (I think) and I'm hoping to do that ride sometime. The Mitchell is my favorite plane of all time.

BTW, Patrick, I'm not going to make HamCom, so I won't be able to tag up with you there this year. Maybe next year. Have a great weekend.

ldb

[WA1GFZ]

same price here on the B29.

[N0WEK]

you should hear the sound of a backup diesel engine under load for a Virginia Class when it's in dry dock.  

Ah yes! Fairbanks Morse 38 8 1/8 opposed piston, super-charged two-strokes.

Pretty much the same engine that the WWII diesel boats used, except that we had 4 of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairbanks_Morse_38_8-1/8_Diesel_Engine

The missile boat I went to later had a 5 cylinder version and the newer nukes have a 12 cylinder version.

There is no sound like all ahead full on 4, either in the engine rooms or topside.

Diesel Boats Forever!


I became a commercial pilot after I got out of the Navy, so I'm loving the sound of round engines too!

[WA1GFZ]

Today's walk the P51 flew in a big circle and headed NE.
Not a round motor

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

so the ARC-5s are wrong.

A true statement in terminology at least, since the Navy didn't fly the B-29 that I'm aware of. AAF units used the SCR-274N Command Set versions.

A ride in the co-pilot's B-29 seat is probably more than $595, but would be worth it.

Heck, just walking around the plane while in flight, sitting in the gunner's seats, etc., would be something.

When I flew with the Collings gang back in the 90s, it was $400 for a flight as I recall. Back then that included either the usual 45 minute hop around any airfield they were visiting (part of the way they let folks know they're in town is to fly around low where everyone can see), or point to point as they moved to the next airfield. This could be a 45 min flight or several hours, depending where they were headed. You just had to find your own way home after they landed.  I think they now reserve the latter for big donors and such.

They would also give you some right hand seat time and sign off on your log book - no extra charge. Imagine being the typical weekend Cessna pilot and having an entry for a B-17, B-24, B-25 or any other other ships they take on tour listed in your logbook.

You also get to roam around inside from nose to tail, though they didn't let folks in the tail gun or ball turret positions. The most interesting part is walking through the bomb bay and looking straight down at the light coming in the large crack between the doors. Nothing but a skinny walkway with side ropes to catch you if you fall.

Last I heard, prices were over $500 per flight. No idea what the PCAF is charging. They had the only airworthy B-29 at last check, though the Doc rebuild should be done or close, and Kermit Weeks had one waiting in the wings to restore too.

Today's walk the P51 flew in a big circle and headed NE.
Not a round motor

Nothing sounds quite like those big Merlin Vees, Rolls or Packard. Learned something interesting about them at Slab's last pharty.

[WA1GFZ]

FiFi operating position
Go to WFSB site for lots of pictures

[KL7OF]

My father in law was a Navy radioman/gunner on PBYs in WW2...He once recognized an arc 5 in my shack.  I asked him how they worked in the aircraft....He said "Just about the time you could see the station, you could work em"

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Sounds about right, Steve. The ARC-5/Command gear was meant primarily for plane-to-plane communications, or the field if it was in view. The BC-375, ATC/ART-13 and other, more powerful transmitters filled the Liason role between ground and the formation at distance.

The biggest issue is hearing anything while you're flying. Headphones are a must, with the volume cranked up pretty high. Hand signals work well on board. With four engines roaring and everything in the plane vibrating, it's nothing like you see in the movies.

Nice to see FiFi with a full compliment of appropriate gear. For decades they wouldn't put the WWII gear in to save weight.

[KE5YTV]

Fellas, Here's the info on a ride in FiFi or the B24.

http://www.cafb29b24.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=127&Itemid=68

[Opcom]

you should hear the sound of a backup diesel engine under load for a Virginia Class when it's in dry dock.  

Ah yes! Fairbanks Morse 38 8 1/8 opposed piston, super-charged two-strokes.

Pretty much the same engine that the WWII diesel boats used, except that we had 4 of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairbanks_Morse_38_8-1/8_Diesel_Engine

The missile boat I went to later had a 5 cylinder version and the newer nukes have a 12 cylinder version.

There is no sound like all ahead full on 4, either in the engine rooms or topside.

Diesel Boats Forever!


I became a commercial pilot after I got out of the Navy, so I'm loving the sound of round engines too!

The only WWII diesel ship engine I have ever seen was a Detroit, pair of them, in a tank transporter museum ship. They are huge, but I suppose the Morse were the grand daddy. The engine room was cramped and I can only imagine the din in there when underway.

[Opcom]

BTW, Patrick, I'm not going to make HamCom, so I won't be able to tag up with you there this year. Maybe next year. Have a great weekend.

ldb

Well that's OK, you can at least see some pics of what seemed worth seeing. Until ham-com next year!

PJ

[AJ1G]

My son Dave up in Vernon and a friend of his are going up to see Fifi today.  Dave's friend is going to take a ride as well.  I asked them to bring back lots of photos and hopefully video, especially of the radio op position.