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View Full Version : B-17 incident at FRG and my article in the local paper



Derf
2005-09-03, 12:25 AM
Being that this was for the newspaper, I had to adhere to their guidlines in
the type of creative writing!

I was down at the local airport watching this takeoff and land
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8393.jpg
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8398.jpg

and watched him pull in
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8444.jpg

There were lot of people that were praying that there was not going to be an
incident because the plane was old, and everyone knows that old planes are
not safe....only new ones are! I saw a pilot who clamed to be a 747 pilot
and he told me the only reason he was still alive at 22 year old was because
he only fly's planes younger than his 3rd son. So here is this really old
unsafe aircraft coming right at me and I was really scared because I knew
that old planes leak oil, unlike new ones...new ones do not leak oil because
they are safe. Ok, so that sets the stage

Now there were lots of old people on the tarmac and this was even more
worrying to me because old people can not usually drive and old people are
dangerous, Well...not all but 99.9934% of them are but they are not usually
dangerous enough to kill themselves...just others, and this big old dangerous
aircraft that leaks oil is coming right at me with old people giving it hand
motions like “Come this way” “turn around” and “****off”. They pull the
aircraft forward and I am watching in disbelief that they are actually letting
the engines run, those blades were old and spinning really really fast, and
anyone knows that old blades are not as good as new ones, I always heard
my dad bitching about old blades in the bathroom and think most know this
fact.

So this big old oil leaking, beast with these 12 old spinning blades of pure
death are turning around feet from my mommas little boy when it happens,
yep....The screwed up and nosed him in and now they have to turn the plane
all the way around in stead of backing it up in the first place.... I dunno,
maybe the reverse in the aircraft was broken, cause it was very old.... or
maybe the people on the ground were to old to think that it was.....well,
whatever! you get the idea.

So the plane continues it turn as I watch the wing feet over my head with
those 12 spinning blades of death just feet from my mommas little baby boy.
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8496.jpg

and I look up and see the wing is about to hit the bricks of the hangar and I
scream in agony with every one on the ramp as the rampgrandfatherrats give
him a big X with their hands (I later found out that this means "YOUR
****ED") and the aircraft stops just millimeters in front of the brick....
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8500.jpg
The aircraft shimmied back a foot and forward 1/2 a foot then back 1/4 foot
and there was a huge sound of relief because all standing nearby knew we
just almost died from this huge dangerous oil leaking aircraft.

****THEN THE PLANE JUMPED FOWARD!!!**** and Boom!
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8501.jpg
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8512.jpg
All of a sudden, the wing like was cut off the aircraft and the smoldering
smoking glass that was on fire fell and everyone started to scream and
cry...The pilots tried to choke back the tears but we all just melted down
right there knowing that this was the beging of the end and we would soon
all die. I saw people calling loved ones on there cell phones, parents were
cuddling with children and it was all really emotional....The pilot got out of
the plane and said "****** ****** ******** ***** ******", he was
not a native New Yorker but fit in really well and even thought about his poor
feeling until I remembered that I was about to die. He looked over at me and
said "Don't cry little girl, The aircraft can be fixed", and that pissed me off
because I am a 32 year old married man. It was at that point that I realized
how close I really came to death. Here is a picture of the aftermath of the
incident.
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8578.jpg
About 15 minutes later, 3 guys in black suits wearing sunglasses came on a
weird black helicopter (I had 2 pictures of it but for some weird reason it
dissapeared off my camera!) and within about 10 minutes, the light was
suddenly fixed!
http://fromtheflightdeck.com/temp/b17/IMG_8925.jpg
For the rest of the day I walked around with a very large smile just glad to
be alive!



(So, what do you guys think? Will I have a futuer in news????)

GrummanFan
2005-09-03, 12:26 PM
hahhahaah...the paper would be much more enjoyable if I was reading stories like that. good job. :lol:

I remember seeing the fireball in the sky, and i wondered what that couldve been. now I know. :wink:

Tom_Turner
2005-09-04, 12:28 PM
Enjoyed your article Derf. :D

Unfortunately, I have witnessed first hand the operation there of B-17s in and out of that tight space. With all due respect to the folks handling that task, more care (and seriousness) is needed.

Ethan
2005-09-05, 09:53 PM
That's what I call efficient maintenance!

moose135
2005-09-06, 08:08 AM
So, what do you guys think? Will I have a futuer in news????

Well, maybe you can get a job at the NY Post...

Derf
2005-09-06, 09:11 AM
So, what do you guys think? Will I have a futuer in news????

Well, maybe you can get a job at the NY Post...

:lol: I think my spelling is better then theirs too! :wink:

IslipWN
2005-09-07, 06:18 PM
So, what do you guys think? Will I have a futuer in news????

Well, maybe you can get a job at the NY Post...

:lol: I think my spelling is better then theirs too! :wink:


lol

lijk604
2005-09-07, 07:33 PM
Fred,

Did you get any Liberator shots this time? Watched that sucker takeoff at least 8 times Sun & Mon from the office window. #1 engine shot out white smoke almost half way down the runway each & every time.

moose135
2005-09-07, 07:47 PM
I got a few Sunday afternoon. Met Eric and his son Chris (The Urban Explorers) out at the departure end of Rwy 01, then we hooked up again on Rt 109 for the landing:

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/B24-3.jpg
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/B24-1.jpg

Also got some of the B-17:

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/B17-5.jpg
http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/B17-2.jpg

Derf
2005-09-08, 12:50 AM
Fred,

Did you get any Liberator shots this time? Watched that sucker takeoff at least 8 times Sun & Mon from the office window. #1 engine shot out white smoke almost half way down the runway each & every time.

I got a bunch but liked this one
http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=540761

.

lijk604
2005-09-08, 06:01 PM
Nice shots Fred & Moose!