World War II warbirds came to Chesterfield County airport this week
Oct 18, 2017 07:45:54 #
Lance Pearson
Loc: Viriginia
I went to see the four warbirds that are so carefully restored yesterday. With dogs in the car I had to shoot from the road as they are not allowed on the runway but these four are so perfectly restored I would guess they were never this good when in use. the big b17 flew giving people rides and I missed a shot in the air of the p51 taking off late in my visit. I apologize for the fence but these were terrific planes: P51 fighter, fastest in wwII not a jet, B17 workhorse long range bomber, B24 Liberator (twin engines) and the Mitchel B25 bomber. Slow by modern standards these were some of the most used war planes from land bases in the Allied arsenal over Europe. The Navy has a second set of their planes but when the B17 took off and landed yesterday its big engines were as well run as any engine you have ever heard. When the P51 took off and I was facing the wrong way to shoot it from my suv it was so powerful with so much torque and that big four bladed prop carving the air it felt like it was clawing the air as it rapidly screwed its way upward. Flying that powerful, fast plane must have been a cross between being in control and going fast and wondering who was in control. Still used in air races today for speed and maneuverability restored and improved. I did catch a private modern jet taking off as well for contrast
Oct 18, 2017 07:54:00 #
Very nice. It's got to be tough maintaining them, in terms of parts alone.
Oct 18, 2017 08:09:08 #
Oct 18, 2017 08:12:09 #
Oct 18, 2017 08:33:13 #
These planes are "on tour" all summer and often fly in to the Manchester (NH) airport for a few days. The Collings Foundation maintains them and gives rides. Since a bomber ride costs $500, my radio control airplane club buys one and raffles off 100 chances as a fundraiser. Pretty good odds but I've never won. I keep hinting to my wife it'd make a great birthday present but it doesn't seem to be working.
PS - I believe the Corsair was faster than the Mustang but the Mustang certainly looked faster.
PS - I believe the Corsair was faster than the Mustang but the Mustang certainly looked faster.
Oct 18, 2017 10:50:24 #
Mike Fos
Loc: Powhatan Virginia
My wife insisted I take the ride. She said you always wanted to do that. Stick time in the P-51 was too expensive and I would have to duct tape a barf bag to my face.
Oct 19, 2017 06:38:19 #
jerrydownunder
Loc: Newcastle, NSW Australia
Number 2 & 3 is a B-25 Mitchell. The last picture is a B-24 Liberator.
Oct 19, 2017 08:01:45 #
Oct 19, 2017 10:29:25 #
Oct 19, 2017 11:30:35 #
A fun weekend coming up! I took the ride in the Collings B-17 a few years ago, well worth the expense for me.
Oct 20, 2017 00:36:22 #
Oct 20, 2017 11:54:11 #
I have pictures of a B-17, B-24, B-25 and P-51 that visited this area in the last couple years. I'll have to check and see if any of them are in this series.
Oct 24, 2017 20:53:51 #
Oct 24, 2017 21:00:12 #
Lance Pearson
Loc: Viriginia
here they were charging $450 a ride in the bombers and the corsair was listed as top speed 446 mph and the mustang 437 mph. I have read that you could dive a mustang really well and also that you have to be very careful with the corsair as the engine had so much torque you could flip it on the deck before ever rolling a wheel. both cool looking planes. dive speeds would be phenomonal
Nov 13, 2017 21:01:24 #
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