Restored B-17G "Liberty Belle" crashes and burns outside of Chicago - Polidicks

[img]http://www.local12.com/media/lib/6/a/e/e/aee1dc82-27e6-4cb7-888f-7ccbc3bb3a58/Story.jpg[/img] [quote]OSWEGO, Ill. – A B-17 bomber that dates to World War II crashed and burned Monday morning in a cornfield outside Chicago, aviation officials said. The Federal Aviation Administration believes the seven people on board the plane escaped uninjured, spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said. "The plane is burning," Cory said. The vintage plane took off from Aurora Municipal Airport on Monday morning and crashed about 20 minutes later in Oswego, Cory said. The pilot reported a fire shortly after taking off, said Sugar Grove Fire Chief Marty Kunkle. "He attempted to make a return to the airport, but couldn't make it so he put it down in a cornfield," Kunkel said. Firefighters from Oswego, Sugar Grove and Plainfield responded to the crash. Fire officials said they were having difficulty accessing the crash because of wet fields. The aircraft was made in 1944 and is known as the "Flying Fortress." It is registered to the Liberty Foundation in Miami, Cory said.[/quote] Source: [url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_bomber_crash[/url] I got a walkthrough of this beautiful plane while she was in restoration. This is depressing.

I love old aircraft, what a damn shame :(

That would really suck to be the pilot, even if it wasn't his fault I bet he feels terrible.

-ker snip-

I just heard about this too, it happened not even a half hour away from me. :sadface:

Nooooooooooooooooooo! There's only so many of those things flying an now we're down one.

[quote]"The plane is burning," Cory said.[/quote] What a great quote that adds light to this article.

And it was a vintage one too! Fuck, automerge.

Fuck, I'm super into vintage aviation and B-17s are my favorite planes of all time This just single handedly ruined my day

Sad to see a piece of history destroyed. At least no one was hurt.

Damnit.

IliekBoxes, your avatar kinda describes my reaction [img]http://www.facepunch.com/image.php?u=266124&dateline=1306952859[/img]

My cousin was working on that aircraft, I hope if he was on it he's ok.

It doesn't look like he turned off the engines before he landed, which in turn ruined them and broke the wings. Even if pilot error were to blame, it still doesn't make it any less disappointing. I hate to see old restored planes being destroyed. Good to hear that noone was hurt though.

-snip-

That's a damn shame. There are only a few of those left flying.

[QUOTE=wait, what?;30437083]It doesn't look like he turned off the engines before he landed, which in turn ruined them and broke the wings. Even if pilot error were to blame, it still doesn't make it any less disappointing. I hate to see old restored planes being destroyed. Good to hear that noone was hurt though.[/QUOTE] He likely didn't extend the landing gear as it's more dangerous on uneven terrain than otherwise. The props will have been windmilling due to air flow causing them to rotate, meaning each blade would've hit the ground as they weren't raised up above ground level by the undercarraige.

Oddly enough I saw one of these things flying over my house yesterday. Airshow in town apparently. What a shame.

They should rerestore it.

[quote]"The plane is burning," Cory said.[/quote] Thanks for that Cory.

[QUOTE=Morbo!!!;30437760]He likely didn't extend the landing gear as it's more dangerous on uneven terrain than otherwise. The props will have been windmilling due to air flow causing them to rotate, meaning each blade would've hit the ground as they weren't raised up above ground level by the undercarraige.[/QUOTE] I though it was less dangerous for aircraft with tail steering gear layouts to land like that. Wasn't it all cornfields there? If the pilot had changed the angle of the blades, he could keep them from spinning. If IL-2: 1946 is anything to go by, the B17G is one of the easiest aircraft to land of all the planes I've flown in sims.

I hope this thread doesn't crash and burn with puns.

[I]What oh God no what [/I] This is the worst news on the front page.

I thought I saw an aircraft earlier today flying a bit low, looked like a bomber.

[QUOTE=Angua;30437820]They should rerestore it.[/QUOTE] They could weld in a new frame, then re-plate it, then restore the interior and everything. It could be like new, yet old at the same time! :buddy:

[QUOTE=wait, what?;30437938]I though it was less dangerous for aircraft with tail steering gear layouts to land like that. Wasn't it all cornfields there? If the pilot had changed the angle of the blades, he could keep them from spinning. If IL-2: 1946 is anything to go by, the B17G is one of the easiest aircraft to land of all the planes I've flown in sims.[/QUOTE] Landing on your gears on rough terrain like that is likely to cause more shit to break. Wheels will sink into mud and flip your nose into the ground. It's better to gently belly it in. Most of the damage done to this aircraft was done by the fire which couldn't be put out in time to save her due to the mud.

Oh wow, I rode in this plane a month or two ago. Kind of weird seeing it destroyed.