Da Planes, Da Planes...

[GWC...]

Interesting aviation history to visit Laconia airport - Monday through Wednesday.



World War II bombers to touch down at airport

Symbols of American history will be touching down on the Laconia Municipal Airport's runway Monday afternoon.

The Wings of Freedom Tour will be arriving with its World War II bombers. The Collings Foundation of Stow, Mass., owns the planes and tours with them to promote history though interactive learning.

The B24J Liberator is the most rare of the group. It is the last one of its kind left flying in the world, according to the foundation.

The foundation's B17 Flying Fortress and B25 Mitchell will also be landing.

Tours will be offered to the public, $10 for adults and $5 for children. A flight in one of the planes costs $325 to $425, depending on the bomber.

The planes will land at the Laconia Airport Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. They will be on display through Wednesday.

[webmaster]

Here are a few shots I took during their 1999 visit to Laconia Airport:

[ApS]

Those of us lakeside will be treated to the sound of these Warbirds overhead that's been described as "felt", rather than "heard".

These engines are of a "radial" (round) design, and have a distinctive exhaust note. Instead of the "rap" of the related Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine, listen for the "chuh-chuh-chuh" of those big radials.

In wartime operations, repairs to control surfaces (rudder, elevators, and ailerons) were done with ease. Those surfaces were made of canvas, and the planes could be put back into service as soon as the glue dried. :emb:

The decorative painting is known as "nose-art" among Warbird fans, and is a study in itself. One shows the gallows humor of the day, with one bomber named, "Is this trip necessary?"
http://www.b24.net/nose/index.html
When I see boats with analogous "graphics" painted on the sides, I'm reminded of the aircrews that made it all possible: forty-thousand aviators were lost over Germany alone.

Google has quite an inventory of anecdotes. I learned this morning that these bombers were assembled mostly by women, and that scores of Allied bombers were destroyed on the ground by a Mt. Vesuvius eruption!
http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/m_97293/mpage_2/printable.htm
http://www.mucheswarbirds.com/CFB24art.html

If you visit, ask some of those misty-eyed oldtimers some questions, I did—and got some unbelievable WWII eye-witness descriptions more memorable than meeting up with the planes themselves.

http://www.mucheswarbirds.com/image66.jpg

[Argie's Wife]

Awesome! My oldest (he's 6) is going to LOVE this!!!

Thanks for the note about it!

[WeirsBeachBoater]

Waiting for the others to fly over, its pretty cool, history in action!

[lakershaker]

I want to be able to send my Dad on a flight on one of the bombers, but I am in CT and won't be able to get up to arrange it. Does anyone know if there is a number at the show I can call to arrange the payment so he can just show up and fly? I don't want him worrying about paying, but rather just having a good time. Thanks in advance!!

[GWC...]

I want to be able to send my Dad on a flight on one of the bombers, but I am in CT and won't be able to get up to arrange it. Does anyone know if there is a number at the show I can call to arrange the payment so he can just show up and fly? I don't want him worrying about paying, but rather just having a good time. Thanks in advance!!
Hope this helps:

Contact Info:

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_contact.htm

Pricing Schedule:

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_schedule-wof.htm

[lakershaker]

Great, this is just what I needed. Thanks!

[WeirsBeachBoater]

But I went by the airport, here are the #'s they gave me

978-562-9182
or
978-618-6626(flight crew cell #)

[ApS]

I'd seen these old Warbirds before, but I'd missed their signature "arrival sound" above Lake Winnipesaukee. When the family asked me to reconsider staying home—I did end up going after all.

There was a big crowd of about 100, continually refreshed by new arrivals. The cashier kept an impressive wad of 10s and 20s in his grip. ("Gas money", he said).

Only a handful stayed outside the perimeter ropes, most wanting to listen to a veteran's operating instructions for the tiny gun turrets, and to touch and peer inside closely. Rows of 500-pound bombs were arranged above the viewers' heads in the bomb bay. The B-25, much smaller by comparison with the B-17, had the somewhat smaller 100-pounders, according to a WWII aviator in attendance.

The B-24, the plane I most wanted to tour inside, got a delayed start elsewhere and hadn't arrived by lunchtime and our departure from the show.

At the end of the day, the absence of the B-24 was forgiven when the B-17 departed Laconia at sundown. Even indoors, there was no mistaking "that sound" as the B-17 approached directly over The Broads, flying low over a serene Lake Winnipesaukee.

"The Plane! The Plane!", was all I could muster.

It flew eastward, directly over our house, and made a big left arc over the Ossipee Mountains. Right from the front porch, we watched with awe and admiration as its brilliant strobe lights gradually dimmed into the sunset.

[Weirs guy]

We missed out on the show at the airport, but were lucky enough to watch one fly over the Weirs and disappear behind Tower Hill around supper time last night. Amazing.

[ApS]

After the two-day show that ended on Tuesday, it looks like they waited until Wednesday to fly the paying passengers, who paid $400 for the ride.

First, it was the B-24 (appearing at long last) making lazy turns over Alton, Ossipee, Wolfeboro, and Melvin Village before heading west and out of sight. In the afternoon, the B-17 came over and did a similar tour. Both were flying at a very reduced speed.

I've got photos of each overhead, but have to figure out how to get them from the camera into this computer. :confused: :emb:

Here's some great Warbird closeups in the meantime:
http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/AirShows/Oshkosh2002/Samplers/Ww2/index.html

Monday update:

While out sailing in the heat of a late-September afternoon (!), I heard another deep airplane sound. Sure enough, it was a B-25—the twin-engined Warbird most likely the same plane on display at last week's Laconia airshow.

It was on a Cow Island-to-Plymouth pathway. Two hours later, the same drone was heard at 4:30PM, but out of sight over Rattlesnake Island way.

Still struggling with Corel 6 to get the pictures out. :emb: