B-25 'Pacific Prowler' Start-up.

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Geedee

Senior Master Sergeant
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Dec 5, 2008
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Unfortunately, just as Jim advanced the loud levers to take off power...my shiny brand spanking new digital camcorder decided it didnt like its environment...too much vibration maybe ?...and decided to throw its Teddy out of the Cot and stopped recording. It then gave me the option of trying to save the stuff I'd recorded but it failed....miserably !. I was not impressed, no sireeee not at all.

I have to say, that even with the intercom headsets, the noise and feeling of absolute raw power put out by those two radials during the take off run, is something I will remember, till the day I follow Lefty....absolutely brilliant !

I did however manage to get a lot of footage during the rest of the flight...the trip under the pilots seats to the front position, the crawl over the Wing into the mid section, the trip to the rear gun slot, and a few bits 'n' bobs out of the waist gun positions, so if any if theres no objections, I'll try and upload some more over the coming week.
 
So who was watching the time left of the video getting pissed that the takeoff was not going to be included... raise your hand! :cheers:

Only one hand, dumb@ss...
 
So who was watching the time left of the video getting pissed that the takeoff was not going to be included... raise your hand! :cheers:

Only one hand, dumb@ss...

If its any consolation, you cant be as p*ssed as I was when I found the camera screwed up !!!.

Anyway, here's the next short clip. Once we were airbourne and sorted, Jim gave the all clear to unbuckle and go walkabout. Its quite a climb down from the jump seats to the floor so the camera work is abit shakey. Once on the floor, it was a case of camera in front and a commando crawl under the two dudes upsatirs flying and finally into the front section. Again, I kept the camera running to give an idea of what it was like. I was in shorts and a T-shirt for this sortie...how they did this in a wartime environment and in full flying kit I will never know !.

Once in the front, there is a quick scan around...if you listen carefully, you will hear a definite 'yeehaa' from yours truly, and a quick self portait of me an Tony.

Theres not a lot of room for two guys and their camera's but the view from the front office of a certified WW2 'Vet is an unforgettable experience
 

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The B-25 is one of the noisiest. I rode in the Collings Foundation's Tondelayo last March.

We had one of the former WWII pilots ride with us, and he had 68 missions in the Pacific. He was stone deaf, but that might be from old age. He and his grand-daughter sat in the pilots seats while we repaired the left engine prop govenor. He closed his eyes, and identified every instrument on the panel, except one. He said "This is not supposed to be here"! It was the GPS.
 
Well done that man !:notworthy:

Next vid is a clip from the open 'window. Gets a bit noisy when you put your head out in the slipstream !!!
 

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And the crawl down to the R send !.

Didnt realise that the blanking plate is removed quickly to allow filming / photo's out of the back...gulp !
 

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We've got a B-25 in our hangar too.

DSCF2224-vi.jpg


DSCF2212-vi.jpg


DSCF2218-vi.jpg


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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExMhtHhvCUs
 
I got to ride in "Executive Sweet" about a year and a half ago for a media ride. What an experience! Loud, but incredible. I wasn't wearing ear protection, mainly because after F-111s and C-130s in the USAF, my hearing is pretty shot anyway. After the USAF, I was in a few bands, so what was left was made worse.

To get a chance to fly in a B-25 is something you cannot deny when offered! The article I wrote on my website about the B-25 flight experience is my most popular page, with over 10,000 hits per month! The B-25 is a real popular airplane.
 

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