Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 42,944
- Mar 26, 2007
B-17 "NINE O NINE" B-24 "THE GOON" USAF Military Aircraft Vintage Magazine (colour)
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bobbysocks
Chief Master Sergeant
i saw the 9-0-9 crash at an air show in 1987. was probably the best thing that ever happened to the plane as it was completely rebuilt here by air heritage. usair ( now usairways ) redid the wings...because pittsburgh used to be a maintainence hub the local A&Ps donated their time....PPG donated all new plexiglass for the nose and bottom turret. she was essentually a new plane when she left here a year or so later.
actually here's the crash....my family and i were at mid field and plane still didnt have a wheel on the ground...when the announce said he was landing i laughed and told my kids he was just doing a touch and go because he didnt have enough runway left to land...i was wrong and right. he was landing and didnt have enough runway!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTplxUQJDLA
actually here's the crash....my family and i were at mid field and plane still didnt have a wheel on the ground...when the announce said he was landing i laughed and told my kids he was just doing a touch and go because he didnt have enough runway left to land...i was wrong and right. he was landing and didnt have enough runway!
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTplxUQJDLA
Last edited:
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Oh man!
Good shots! Thanks for sharing.
- Thread starter
- #6
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 42,944
- Mar 26, 2007
"Goon"crew. The crew pictured flew in The GOON in 1943.
MACR 12413:
"The Goon"
B-24D-20-CO Liberator
s/n 41-24183
374th BS, 308th BG, 14th AF
Lost on February 1,1945 mission to bomb/mine the harbor at Hong Kong.
While headed to target the aircraft developed engine trouble severe enough to force most of the crew to bail out. Three of the crew stayed with the plane and managed to get it the base at Kweilin,China. Five of the seven who bailed out were returned to duty and two were listed as MIA (later KIA).
Crew on Feb. 1,1945 (some are in photo):
Capt. Samuel J. Skousen - Pilot (stayed with plane, RTD)
1st Lt. Ralph E. Bowers,Jr. - CoPilot (bailed out, RTD)
1st Lt. Daniel J. Palmer - Navigator (bailed out, RTD)
1st Lt. Malcolm S. Sanders - Bombardier (bailed out, KIA)
T/Sgt. Archie L. Fleharty - Engineer/Gunner (stayed with plane, RTD)
T/Sgt. William J. Novak - Radio Operator (stayed with plane, RTD)
T/Sgt. Arthur J. Benko - Gunner/Asst. Engineer (bailed out, KIA)
S/Sgt. Casper J. Chirieleison - Gunner/Asst. Radio Operator (bailed out, RTD)
T/Sgt. Robert M. Kirk - Gunner (bailed out, RTD)
Capt. James S. Edney - Observer (bailed out, RTD)
MACR 12413:
"The Goon"
B-24D-20-CO Liberator
s/n 41-24183
374th BS, 308th BG, 14th AF
Lost on February 1,1945 mission to bomb/mine the harbor at Hong Kong.
While headed to target the aircraft developed engine trouble severe enough to force most of the crew to bail out. Three of the crew stayed with the plane and managed to get it the base at Kweilin,China. Five of the seven who bailed out were returned to duty and two were listed as MIA (later KIA).
Crew on Feb. 1,1945 (some are in photo):
Capt. Samuel J. Skousen - Pilot (stayed with plane, RTD)
1st Lt. Ralph E. Bowers,Jr. - CoPilot (bailed out, RTD)
1st Lt. Daniel J. Palmer - Navigator (bailed out, RTD)
1st Lt. Malcolm S. Sanders - Bombardier (bailed out, KIA)
T/Sgt. Archie L. Fleharty - Engineer/Gunner (stayed with plane, RTD)
T/Sgt. William J. Novak - Radio Operator (stayed with plane, RTD)
T/Sgt. Arthur J. Benko - Gunner/Asst. Engineer (bailed out, KIA)
S/Sgt. Casper J. Chirieleison - Gunner/Asst. Radio Operator (bailed out, RTD)
T/Sgt. Robert M. Kirk - Gunner (bailed out, RTD)
Capt. James S. Edney - Observer (bailed out, RTD)
