# B-17G - Nine O Nine



## Matt308 (Aug 18, 2008)

Some good pics of Nine O Nine in California. Great pics inside. Anyone know why the rear guns station is off limits? Perhaps Evangilder knows, I'm sure he's got better pics.


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## syscom3 (Aug 18, 2008)

The rear is off limits due to the pilots and ground crew keeping their personal effects back there.

I know because I flew 909 back in 1994.


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## Matt308 (Aug 18, 2008)

Interesting. So the flightcrew and ground crew use the 9O9 as their personal transportation too. I wouldn't have thought that. I would have assumed that they would have a maintenance vehicle(s) that followed them around, assuming that they would be in a location for a week or so at a time. That's a shame, since the rear gun position was the second most active defensive position on the -17. A bit of history that is "off limits".


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## Erich (Aug 18, 2008)

I'll confirm Sys's comments been through this Fort several times

can't give you a reason except it was off limits as mentioned by the crewmen flying her


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## Matt308 (Aug 18, 2008)

Hmmm... too bad. From the Collings Foundation Website:

"The most widely recognized and revered aircraft type of World War II, the B-17 Flying Fortress, takes to the skies again. The B-17G (Serial # 44-83575) has been returned to its wartime configuration under the auspices of the nonprofit Collings Foundation of Stow, MA and given the name "Nine-O-Nine". 
The Collings Flying Fortress was built at Long Beach, CA by the Douglas Aircraft Company and accepted on April 7, 1945. Although she was too late for combat, #44-83575 did serve as part of the Air/Sea 1st Rescue Squadron and later in the Military Air Transport Service.

In April 1952, #44-83575 was instrumented and subjected to the effects of three different nuclear explosions. After a thirteen-year "cool down" period, #44-83575 was sold as part of an 800-ton scrap pile and Aircraft Specialties Company began the restoration of the aircraft.

Damaged skin was fabricated and replaced on site; engines and props were stripped, cleaned, repaired, and tested; four thousand feet of new control cable was installed; all electrical wiring and instrumentation was replaced. As she neared completion, the jeers and laughter of those who said she would never fly again faded as the sounds of four 1200 HP Wright-Cyclone engines echoed across the desert and "Yucca Lady" rose as the phoenix and climbed into the sky.

For twenty years, without a major problem or incident, #44-83575 served as a fire bomber dropping water and borate on forest fires. She was sold in January 1986 to the Collings Foundation. Restored back to her original wartime configuration by Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft, she represented one of the finest B-17 restorations and won several awards.

In August 1987, while performing at an airshow in western Pennsylvania, "Nine-O-Nine" was caught by a severe crosswind moments after touchdown. The right wing lifted in the air, finally coming down too far down the runway. Despite the efforts of her crew, she rolled off the end of the runway, crashed through a chain link fence, sheared off a power pole and roared down a 100-foot ravine to a thundering stop. The landing gear sheared off, the chin turret was smashed and pushed into the nose; the Plexiglas nose was shattered; bomb bay doors, fuselage, fuselage, ball turret, wing and nacelles all took a tremendous beating. Engines and propellers were also torn form their mounts. Fortunately, there were no fatalities to the crew or riders although there were injuries. 

For a second time, this B-17 "rose from the ashes". With nacelles from the famed B-17 "Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby", thousands of volunteer hours, support from the folks of Beaver Falls, PA, and donations from individuals and corporations, she was made whole again to carry on the proud and rugged heritage of the B-17.

Since the crash at Beaver Falls, the B-17 has succeeded in visiting over 1200 tour stops. This means that millions, who would otherwise never seen the Flying Fortress, have been able to experience first hand the plane that helped change the history of the world fifty years ago.

The Collings Foundation B-17 was named "Nine-O-Nine" in honor of a 91st Bomb Group, 323rd Squadron plane of the same name which completed 140 missions without an abort or loss of a crewman.

The original "Nine-O-Nine" was assigned to combat on February 25, 1944. By April 1945, she had made eighteen trips to Berlin, dropped 562,000 pounds of bombs, and flown 1,129 hours. She had twenty-one engine changes, four wing panel changes, fifteen main gas tank changes, and 18 Tokyo tank changes (long-range fuel tanks). She also suffered from considerable flak damage. 

After European hostilities ceased, "Nine-O-Nine", with its six-hundred patched holes, flew back to the United States. While the rigors of war never stopped the historic "Nine-O-Nine", she succumbed at last to the scrappers guillotine, along with thousands of other proud aircraft."


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## Thorlifter (Aug 18, 2008)

Nice history of the plane Matt.


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## Micdrow (Aug 18, 2008)

Great stuff there Matt


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## evangilder (Aug 18, 2008)

I've been through that very airplane a number of times. Syscom is correct, the crew keep their personal effects in the tail section. Besides, it's not the easiest position to get into. 

It's a shame they don't allow people in the B-25, but I firmly understand why. That really has some tight spaces and the chances of someone grabbing they shouldn't is pretty high in a B-25.


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## Gnomey (Aug 18, 2008)

Good stuff Matt!

Still a shame about not being able to get to the tail but it is understandable.


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## syscom3 (Aug 18, 2008)

For their B24, they do let people ride in the rear gun turret.

I know because I have video of me getting in and scanning the sky's.


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## Matt308 (Aug 18, 2008)




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## Micdrow (Aug 18, 2008)

evangilder said:


> I've been through that very airplane a number of times. Syscom is correct, the crew keep their personal effects in the tail section. Besides, it's not the easiest position to get into.
> 
> It's a shame they don't allow people in the B-25, but I firmly understand why. That really has some tight spaces and the chances of someone grabbing they shouldn't is pretty high in a B-25.



Very true, Ive been inside two or three b-25's on the ground and at 6'3" and around 210lb's moving around one on the ground was hard enough for me let alone trying to do it in the air. I was very stupid this year Eric at the EAA. I had a chance to climb into a A-26 Invader but at the time I didnt think much of it. Now I wished I had.


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## Heinz (Aug 19, 2008)

Great shots! Thanks!


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## Republic_Flier (Aug 25, 2008)

REALLY nice powerpoint has anybody here been in the ball turret and taped themselves when they were in it?


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