B-17 (Liberty Belle) crash outside Chicago
06-14-2011, 07:13 PM
#11
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Third-Hand Hangar Gossip
Two of my students today were visiting a local hangar that has a P-51, AT-6, and other types in it. This is third-hand, so take it for what it is worth.
The owner told the students that he knew the foundation and the crew of the accident airplane. Supposedly, it needed new fuel bladders, but they couldn't get any. Instead, they built aluminum tanks (this may mean that the wings were converted to wet-wings; not sure).
He guessed the wet wings/aluminum tanks may have leaked onto the turbochargers, which for engines 2 and 3, are well aft of the firewall.
From the pictures, that looks feasible to me.
The owner told the students that he knew the foundation and the crew of the accident airplane. Supposedly, it needed new fuel bladders, but they couldn't get any. Instead, they built aluminum tanks (this may mean that the wings were converted to wet-wings; not sure).
He guessed the wet wings/aluminum tanks may have leaked onto the turbochargers, which for engines 2 and 3, are well aft of the firewall.
From the pictures, that looks feasible to me.
06-20-2011, 06:00 AM
#13
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Joined APC: Oct 2007
Posts: 33
Interesting read... Home | Liberty Belle B-17 Flying Fortress
Didn't sound like a "crash" as was depicted in most news sources. Sounds like a heck of a job on a forced landing.
Didn't sound like a "crash" as was depicted in most news sources. Sounds like a heck of a job on a forced landing.
06-20-2011, 08:14 AM
#14
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Originally Posted by R1340
Interesting read... Home | Liberty Belle B-17 Flying Fortress
Didn't sound like a "crash" as was depicted in most news sources. Sounds like a heck of a job on a forced landing.
Didn't sound like a "crash" as was depicted in most news sources. Sounds like a heck of a job on a forced landing.
06-20-2011, 02:04 PM
#15
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I'm glad to hear the crew got out safe and nobody got hurt. They did an amazing job addressing the emergency. It was sad to read testimony of not being able to combat the flames and watching this beautiful plane go up in flames.
06-20-2011, 02:19 PM
#16
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Originally Posted by l1011
Agreed, But you have to remember the news media does not care about the truth, they just want the big headlines that get attention, especially if it involves aviation.
06-21-2011, 06:02 AM
#17
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Originally Posted by captainv
You also have to remember that the average reporter doesn't know a Piper Cub from a King Air and therefore, the quality of the story depends heavily on the knowledge of the primary source - in this case, I would bet the local police/fire, who they would be familiar with, and who often talk out of their posteriors in front of the media, rather than stick to what they know.
06-28-2011, 03:38 AM
#18
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