TEXAS RAIDERS - 4 photos that say it ALL!

[b17engineer]

It's great to see the progress on TR. She's been down for too long and needs some wind under her wings.

RICK

[bomberflight]

Excellent news and it looks like good progress is being made

The Gulf Coast Wing newsletter is asking for donations for lunch money from Squadron members who can't help out in other ways ~ I'm motivated now to sort something out and airmail a cheque !

I'm soooooo looking forward to the time when you can sell rides with TR

Obsessed with flying in WW2 bombers ? Who ~ Me ?????

[N3Njeff]

whats the possibility of moving this with the ole 927 thread...........anyone there in Houston willing to take pics on the work days so we can all follow along????

[SPANNERmkV]

I'm a couple of answers behind.
I've been editting video all morning with a fabulous babe.
LIFE IS ROUGH!!!

Jag-u-Arrrrs... No Excuse SIR! Until you've stood on the gas pedal of an E-Type (Series I preferrabley) you can't understand the mental aberration!
To my credit, I usually strip out the Lucas Ignition, Generator and fuel pump, and the dependability goes WAY up.
Have you a low opinion of Vincent Black Lightning 1952s?

As far as a continuing thread ALA Old 927... I don't know how that is handled, other than us GCWers posting stuff to bump it up.
There are certainly enough people who are keen on that idea!

Thanks one and ALL!

[astixjr]

SpannermkV,
As a child, I thought that it was normal for people to walk home from the local market once or twice a week due to a car breaking down. As I got a bit older, I started to realize that the reason my mother and I walked home alot had something to do with the fact my mother always drove E types. My father decided to upgrade her from the V6s to the V12s, double the number of cylinders so double the number of times we walked home!

Where's your sense of adventure? You remove the Lucas Electrics? What would Sir Lucas (aka The Prince Of Darkness) think of that?

1950 Scott Flying Squirrel. If only I could afford to own one. Don't get me wrong, I love the Black Lightning and the Black Shadow but for me, I'd have the Scott.

I'm probably not one to throw stones or make jokes about British stuff. I've got a 1967 Austin FX4 London Taxi so I'm just as twisted as the next British car nut.

By the way, do you know the reason that the RAF did the late night bomber raids during WWII and we did the daylight missions? It was because they did not want anyone to know how many Lancasters, Short Stirlings, and Halifax bombers were stuck on the tarmac back at the base with faulty Lucas electrical systems.

*I'm just kidding.

[SPANNERmkV]

Albert,
I'm loving it!
FINALLY...
A LUCAS joke I hadn't heard. The one about the RAF Night Bombing.

V12 Jaguars made me a fair pile of Quid, back in the day when I was wrenching on Jags for profit.

My Brother Bill has it the worst! He has a 70s Morgan Plus 8!
FASTER than Paris Hilton's panties hitting the floor, but doesn't corner worth a darn!

Hi-jacked my own thread here!
Back to B17s, I promise.

[SPANNERmkV]

Here's the picture that goes with the first batch and the caption that says,
"The reason why it's taking SOOOO long. "Ole, we keep trying to tell you! The heads hang on the outboard side! When will they learn?"

[Shay]

NO, NO, NO,...... only Ford motors and their associated parts are to be used as boat anchors as well as Flying Fortress under-carriage weights.



What a cry'n shame to see Big Block Chevy Cylinder Heads being mis-utilized (yeah, I made that up)

Nahhh.....who am I kidding, I'm a Pontiac guy . They're both boat anchors.

VIVE LOS GTOs

__________________________________________________________

Seriously though it's nice to see the old girl back on her way to recovery. Still, it would be nice see her show her true NAVY colors. But alas there are but 2 chances of that............




Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[SPANNERmkV]

Does anybody have any color pictures of her, or her sister 17s in NAVY livery?

I'll take the suggestion up with the Board...


SPANNER

[Warbird Kid]

Man O man would that be cool to see!


It would be a break from the rest of the gang of WWII paint jobs.

[Shay]

Texas Raiders Ser No. 44-83872 /BuNo. 77235

Was assigned to VW-1 Patrol Squadron as TE12

http://vw1assoc.tripod.com/index.html

Fall of 1954 - NAS Barbers Point BuNo. 77235/TE-12.
Rear L to R: Earl Habermacher AT2, Cassie Phillips AM1, Mel Balding AD1, Jim Glace ATC, Al Dalron AL1, John Raczka ALC.
Front: Jose Blea ABAN, George Stewart AD1, Pappy Herzing AD1, Al Vicari AD1, Gene Bryant AD2.
Photographer unknown, Photo provided by G. E. Stewart .



This picture is a frame from my movies taken at Hilo, Hawaii in December, 1954. I am second from left. I am talking to Al Dalton on my right. The other crewmembers names have been forgotten..
Photo D.A. Ragan.




VW-1 Tailcode 'TE'
Callsign: "Red Devils"

Commissioned on June 18, 1952 at NAS Barbers Point, Territory of Hawaii with four PB-1W aircraft.
Model BuNo. Comment
PB-1W 77137 / TE-2 to overhaul July 1953
PB-1W 77138 / TE-3 to overhaul Feb. 1954
PB-1W 77226 / TE-4 to overhaul Aug. 1953
PB-1W 77231 / TE-5 to NAS San Diego May 1954
---------------------------------
PB-1W 77240 / TE-6 added Jan. 1953
to NAS San Diego Jan. 1954
PB-1W 77234 / TE-7. added Feb. 1953
to NAS Norfolk May 1954
PB-1W 77228 / TE-8 added May 1953
PB-1W 34114 / TE-? replaced 77137 July 1953
PB-1W 77232 / TE-? replaced 77226 Sept. 1953
PB-1W 77235 / TE-12. replaced 77240 Feb. 1954

As the WV-2's were received into the VW-1 inventory they were assigned the lower side number and the PB-1W side numbers were moved up. Only PB-1W 77228 and 77235 side number's are known at this time
Model BuNo. Comment
PB-1W 34114/TE-? to storage Feb. 1955
PB-1W 77226/TE-?. to storage Jan. 1955
PB-1W 77228/TE-14 to storage Jan. 1955
PB-1W 77232/TE-? to storage Jan. 1955
PB-1W 77235/ TE-12 to storage Jan 1955.
This aircraft is still flying with the "Gulf Coast Wing" of the "Commemorative Air Force" out of Houston TX. as the Texas Raiders, N7227C.

Pics of a VW-1 model:

http://biomicro.sdstate.edu/pederses/modelaircraft.html










I understand keeping the turrets in place, besides they are cool if nothing else. But it would be nice (and different) to see 77235 wearing her true Blue NAVY colors and number TE 12.


Shay
____________
Semper Fortis

[SPANNERmkV]

Shay,
Thanks SO much!
This is slightly mind boggling writing to someone who served their country in the VERY plane.
Realistically the Wing will never repaint her blue and take the letter L (381st Ridgewell) off the tail... Personally I'm a P (384th Grafton-Underwood) kind of guy, since me late Pappy flew his 25 out of there.

Thanks again for the pictures and the history!
Do you happen to have any kind of video transfer of your films of her?

SPANNER

[Shay]

Shay,
Thanks SO much!
This is slightly mind boggling writing to someone who served their country in the VERY plane.
Realistically the Wing will never repaint her blue and take the letter L (381st Ridgewell) off the tail... Personally I'm a P (384th Grafton-Underwood) kind of guy, since me late Pappy flew his 25 out of there.

Thanks again for the pictures and the history!
Do you happen to have any kind of video transfer of your films of her?

SPANNER

No No No.....I am a Navy Vet....just not that old of one

I found that information about Texas Raiders here:

http://vw1assoc.tripod.com/index.html

Sorry for the confusion.


Shay
_____________
Semper Fortis

[SPANNERmkV]

SORRY... Easily confused here... I read the caption on the second photo and realize it must have been the photographer's quote about being the second guy on the right!

You can see now why GCW probably shouldn't paint her blue... With sharp minds like mine it would probably turn into McHale's Air Force!

SPANNER Binghamptom signing off!

[Eric Friedebach]

Still, it would be nice see her show her true NAVY colors.

I can imagine all the airshow spectators telling the crew that the aircraft is painted wrong, LOL.