B-29 being restored for flight

[BeeKool]

there are some restored German and Japanese planes, but very few originals survived. IIRC there are two authentic Me-109s flying, and a handful of the ones built by the Spanish after the war.

A local retired air force vet from the Korean war, who is also a flying enthusiast told me that only four survived the war and he isn't sure if any are flying. But he said the quality of many of those "kraut birds" was impeccable.

 

[Brandy]

Love this!!

 

[Basket case]

Planes of Fame has one they are restoring, Dayton has one, I imagine The Smithsonian has one. There has been one flying example for sale this past year for well over a million, and I think there is another flying out west. And I do believe there is at least one actual FW 190 flying, along with a couple new builds flying.

 

[Bladecutter]

depends on what group. My wife bought me a ticket to ride on the Nine O Nine for our 25th anniversary this year. rained all friggin weekend.cost was $450 for 30 minutes. It costs them $4000 an hour to fly these planes.
View attachment 372559 View attachment 372560

Thats probably a very conservative figure.

 

[Bladecutter]

Dad in a B-17F straight off production line. Note belly turret hole behind bay doors.

 

[Ranger16]

depends on what group. My wife bought me a ticket to ride on the Nine O Nine for our 25th anniversary this year. rained all friggin weekend.cost was $450 for 30 minutes. It costs them $4000 an hour to fly these planes.

Hell, it cost that much to drive a sprint cup car for 8 laps (retirement gift from my wife & daughters). That had to be the flight of a lifetime. What a great experience that must have been.

 

[Basket case]

Thats probably a very conservative figure.

that is what the Collins people told us when the flights got rained out that weekend, and that doesn't include motels and food for their people, just the cost of the plane flying, and they had the B-17,B-24,B-25, and P-51 there.

 

[The Rebel]

From what I recall the early models the ball turrets weren't retractable and the only way you got in or out was thru the outside door. If there were any landing gear issues or belly landings it was fatal for them.

Please thank him for his service for me!

Dad in a B-17F straight off production line. Note belly turret hole behind bay doors.

View attachment 372575 View attachment 372576 View attachment 372578

 

[super-bee_ski]

Great post/thread
Too bad it is not on the "Who likes Aircraft thread?"

 

[Bladecutter]

From what I recall the early models the ball turrets weren't retractable and the only way you got in or out was thru the outside door. If there were any landing gear issues or belly landings it was fatal for them.

Please thank him for his service for me!

I've always heard about having to load into belly turret from ground....but two Gents, now passed, Who flew 17's told me The gunners loaded from inside ship......but those were G models They flew.......i think You are correct about earlier models.
Dad was a Civilian test pilot with Douglas Aircraft & Martin Aircraft. He was not Military.

 

[super-bee_ski]

I think it cost something like $40K per hour for a F-22
( I read that in a RAND report or another "Think-Tank" groups published paper)

 

[Bladecutter]

I think it cost something like $40K per hour for a F-22
( I read that in a RAND report or another "Think-Tank" groups published paper)

That's a few sheckels.

 

[BeeKool]

I think it cost something like $40K per hour for a F-22
( I read that in a RAND report or another "Think-Tank" groups published paper)

$ well spent. IMO

 

[The Rebel]

Either way he contributed to the war effort. I was at an air show 20+years ago & was talking to a ground crew veteran. I thanked him for his service as with out those guys the planes would not have been shape to carry out the 25 mission requirement.

Dad was a Civilian test pilot with Douglas Aircraft & Martin Aircraft. He was not Military.