"Fifi" in 1988

[syscom3]

Thought you all might want to see these pics I took at Chino in 1988.

 

[Thorlifter]

Thanks for posting syscom. I don't remember when the CAF got Fifi, but I want to say I first saw her in 1976 in Harlingen, Texas, though I may be wrong on the date. What a glorious plane.

Here in Dallas, there is a flight museum called the Cavenaugh Flight Musuem at the Addison airport. Jim Cavenaugh has pledged something like 2 million dollars to the rebuild of the engines on Fifi.

It's just staggering how much it cost to do work on these priceless birds.

 

[wilbur1]

Thats one BIG bird

 

[Haztoys]

Now the plane "looks" to be painted white ...Why ...And were they painted in the war times ...I know dumb thing to ask...Or is it just the pic...

 

[syscom3]

It was painted white at the time. I think for protection for the surfaces.

Definitely not wartime colors.

 

[Gnomey]

Great stuff sys!

 

[pbfoot]

Gotta pic of her from 81 and she's silver get it posted as soon as figure out why printer won't turn on

 

[ToughOmbre]

Last time I saw her she was polished aluminum. Also heard that an organization made a contribution to enable all new engines to be installed; hopefully will keep her in the air for some time to come.

TO

 

[Micdrow]

Great bird and pictures syscom3, it was first grounded due to problems on the inside of the main wing if I remember right and now grounded due to shelling out all four engines. At a millon dollars an engine they are trying to raise the money to fix or replace all 4 engines though I have not heard how well things are going lately with her.

 

[Wayne Little]

Great shots Sys! thanks.....

 

[Aggie08]

I've got pictures of me with FiFi when I was a kid. I don't remember it, but I sure as hell wish I did!

 

[Geedee]

She is one big bird !.

Got the chance to go inside last year at the CAF Airsho in Midland. First impression is 'Blimey, its big ' !.

Heres a load of pics ... not quite a walk around... as I couldn't actually get in the back...the ladder was just too short !

Second impression 'Blimey, its big !.

Cant wait to see het back where she belongs...in the sky. And yes, I did leave some of the folding stuff in the collection box.

 

[syscom3]

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!!!

 

[HoHun]

Hi Geedee,

>Heres a load of pics ... not quite a walk around... as I couldn't actually get in the back...the ladder was just too short !

Thanks a lot - trying to research for a simulator model last year, I searched the net wide and far and didn't find anything even approaching the quality of your pictures anywhere!

One question: Do you know if the verticual tubes on the inside of the pilot and copilot dashboard are control locks? They seem to be featured only in pictures of parked aircraft, but I haven't been able to find out for sure.

And one picture request: If you were able to shoot the tail section from the outside, could you please post one showing the tail gunner's position and the underside of the tail? The reason I ask is that I have been trying to find out the position of the tail light - without any success so far.

Big thanks again!

Henning (HoHun)

 

[Geedee]

Hi Geedee,

>
Thanks a lot - trying to research for a simulator model last year, I searched the net wide and far and didn't find anything even approaching the quality of your pictures anywhere!

One question: Do you know if the verticual tubes on the inside of the pilot and copilot dashboard are control locks? They seem to be featured only in pictures of parked aircraft, but I haven't been able to find out for sure.

And one picture request: If you were able to shoot the tail section from the outside, could you please post one showing the tail gunner's position and the underside of the tail? The reason I ask is that I have been trying to find out the position of the tail light - without any success so far.

Big thanks again!

Henning (HoHun)

Hiya.

Do you mean the vertical red tubes ?. They're something to do with the brakes...I've added a blown up segment from one of the cockpit shots that should help. On looking at the handles, it looks like they could be a parking brake ?

Ref external tail pics, I've added the only ones I have (Including a fuzzy one !!). I'm not sure but on the pic of the rearmost under fuselage gun barbette, it looks like there might be a light between the .50's ?

And thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.

 

[Geedee]

I've done a selective enlargement from the 'fuzzy' picture...how embarrassing !...and I think I've found your tail lights....then again, I could be wrong !

 

[evangilder]

Great pics guys! I would love to see her fly again someday.

 

[Gnomey]

Excellent stuff Gary!!

 

[HoHun]

Hi Geedee,

>Do you mean the vertical red tubes ?. They're something to do with the brakes...I've added a blown up segment from one of the cockpit shots that should help. On looking at the handles, it looks like they could be a parking brake ?

The hydraulic system of the B-29 had only one function, and that was operating the brakes. With that background, I'd interprete the text on the red handles as emergency system in case of a hydraulic pump failure - you'd have enough pressure stored in a hydraulic accumulator (US terminology - some manuals come with a "bi-lingual" glossary, but I can't find one right now and am not sure of the British term either ...) for about three brake applications before the brakes would go dead.

As the B-29 did not have a steerable nose wheel, you needed two brake levers for directional control ... just what we see in your picture.

I was actually thinking of the vertical tubes running over the entire height of the cockpit, "hugging" the contours of the panel. The port one is visible behind the brake handles, and your photograph sort of busts my "control lock" idea as the lower end of that tube appears to be firmly screwed in. Surprisingly, there are not many pictures showing the cockpit of a B-29 in flight, but the few I found (and a single manual drawing as well) show these tubes to be absent. However, after seeing your pictures, I'm confused about their function.

>Ref external tail pics, I've added the only ones I have (Including a fuzzy one !!). I'm not sure but on the pic of the rearmost under fuselage gun barbette, it looks like there might be a light between the .50's ?

Hm, my guess would be that the lens in the barbette must be part of a gun camera - another detail I have never seen anywhere else!

I agree that the "fuzzy" picture probably shows the tail light - thanks a lot! I had seen this detail on low-resolution photographs and couldn't figure out what it was!

Thanks a lot!

Henning (HoHun)

 

[Geedee]

Ah !...those tubes.

Looking at their location and the fact that they are firmly attached, makes me think they are nothing more than 'grab handle' (bit like on buses for those passengers that have to stand and need something to hold onto) to stop any one going forward...or back from...the bomb aiming position, grabbing hold of one of the control wheels as they walk past. However, I could be wrong...probably am, but thats my thoughts.

I also have a little bell rininging in the back of my mind that for some reason keeps telling me that the rear nav light on the '29 is a twin light setup, ie, two bulbs and two lenses side by side, but again, I could be wrong as this is the first time I've seen a 29 in the flesh so to speak.

I didnt even know until just now that it didnt have a steerable front wheel, just like the B24. Thats a serious design fault I reckon, with a piece of real estate that size trundling along the taxi-ways relying on differential power / braking to go straight / around corners !