HISTORICAL MINIATURES JOURNAL ISSUE NUMBER 15
PUBLISHED BY GEORGE GRASSE
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PHOTO TOUR
OF THE B-24 LIBERATOR FLYING MUSEUM
THE COLLINGS FOUNDATION
The Collings Foundation maintains four aircraft in flyable condition
for one-hour flights: B-17 "Flying Fortress", B-24 "Liberator", B-25
"Mitchell", and P-51 "Mustang". Details on costs and schedules
are on their website listed at the end of this article. The
day of this flight saw three aircraft fly into the Shenandoah Valley
Airport at Weyers Cave, Virginia. The following photo was
taken from the cover of the Collings Foundation Newsletter
2011-2012.
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The following images were taken by George and Scott Grasse
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Photo #1a: On this particular day, three of
their flight aircraft arrived at the Shenandoah Valley Airport, Weyers Cave,
Virginia, in early October. Our flight was to be the B-24 "Liberator"
252534 named "Witchcraft". |
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Photo #1b: Shortly after the B-24 landed, the B-17
"Flying Fortress" came in and parked. While the B-24 was readied for
flight, both bombers were open for viewing. Access was allowed from front to rear except for the cockpits. The bombers look spacious from the
outside but are somewhat cramped inside especially the bombardiers nose section
and the tail gunner position. Bomb bay doors were open and viewers had to
travel on the bombay catwalk from front to rear moving past inert 500 lb bombs. |
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Photo #1c: The P-51 "Mustang" was viewed from
the left wing walk but not accessed. |
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Photo #2: In flight photo shortly after takeoff.
The B-24 is heading south or up the Shenandoah valley. Blue Ridge Mountains on
the left. |
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Photo #3: This photo shows the area directly behind
the cockpit typically reserved for the top turret gunner and flight engineer.
Two of us as passengers sat here: one in the lower left floor (that was my seat, facing
to the rear) and a fellow passenger in the opposite canvas-covered seat. There was one flight crew member
as an attendent who checked on all of the passengers and stayed
mostly with us. So, there were the two pilots, three passengers, and one
flight attendant in this forward section of the aircraft. There wee six
other passengers mainly in the area of the waist guns and sitting on the floor.
We were all strapped in for engine run-up, taxing, and take-off. (Photo by
Scott) |
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Photo #4: From my seated position shown in Photo #3
above, I took two steps towards the rear of the aircraft, passed through a
bulkhead, and dropped down to the bombardier/front turret deck. This photo shows the area directly
ahead of me before entering that space on hands and knees. The red tape
marks the immediate vicinity of the nose landing gear which, in this view, is
down and locked (the aircraft is parked on the airfield). The design of
the nose wheel allowed for it to spring open at the slightest pressure on the
gear. The area is flagged so a curious passenger doesn't touch the unit
while in flight. Access to the front turret and bombardier's position is
the crawl space to the right just past the fire extinguisher. (Photo by Scott)
The photo on the right shows the in-flight position of the landing gear. |
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Photo #5: The B-24 is running now at about 4000 feet.
The first interesting site on my tour was this close-up of the bombardiers' position which is
directly below the front gun turret (note open doors to the turret above). |
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Photo
#6: This is a close-up of the bombardier's position and the Norden bomb sight area, viewing
window, and instruments. |
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Photo #7: Here is a close up of the bomb sight as it
might appear ready for use. Note the fall colors racing below the
Plexiglas windows. |
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Photo #8: Looking to the rear, this is one side of
the bomb bay. Plenty more room for those big babies. Eight were
stowed on each side; let's see - that's eight 500 lb bombs per side, 16
for a total load of 8,000 lbs. Pretty serious stuff for 1944. The
bombay catwalk is to the left, out of view. |
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Photo #9:The next station having moved through the bomb
bay is the central waist gun position. The windows were offset to keep the
gunners separated and out of each other way during the harrowing experience of
aerial combat. My son, Scott, handles the starboard waist .50 caliber. |
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Photo #10: This is a view from the port waist gun
position looking at the tail gunner's position. |
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Photo #11: The ball turret. |
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Photo #12: Heading back up the fuselage past the
waist gun positions and looking back at the port waist gun position and its .50
caliber ammunition box. Note the marking for approximate rounds remaining.
The structure left and below supports the ball turret. |
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Photo #13: The eastern Shenandoah Valley with the Blue
Ridge Mountains in the distance. Beautiful day for flying. Ground
temperature was 75 degrees F at about 6:00 pm when we took off. The B-24
is heading south or "up" the valley and will shortly bank to the left and head
north or "down" the valley. "Up" - south - "Down" -
north? That's
because the Shenandoah River, which has two main forks, flows north. |
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Photo #14: In-flight photo from the starboard waist gun
position G |
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Photo #15: The B-24 is making a gradual turn after
finishing its northern loop and will be landing soon. The countryside is
substantially more populated than during American Civil War times. The
Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountain Chain, are in the
distance. |
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Photo #16: The B-24 "Witchcraft" with George and Scott,
very happy passengers. |
MY SON AND I TOOK THESE PHOTOS IN OCTOBER 2011
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REFERENCE
The Collings Foundation,
phone 800-568-8924, website:
http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm
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� Copyright by George Grasse