B-17 Belly Landing 379th BG

[Jack Cook]

The pilot Lt Marcus Elliot gets a 4.0 on this one!!!
B-17G "Lost Angel" s/n 42-38183 FR+C 525th BS 379th BG 8th AF
Kimbolton, UK belly lands with battle damage. It was returned to duty and shot down on 9-28-1944.
The ball turret was jettisioned prior to landing

[muddyboots]

what's that sticking down from it Jack? Are you sure it didn't sink into the mud or somthing? Or is that stands?

[Second Air Force]

Muddyboots,

Those are propeller blades that are just about ready to bend when they hit the ground. That is a near text-book B-17 belly landing, and if I remember correctly they jettisoned the ball turret and the airplane fought another day. Look at all that nose-up elevator!

Scott

[Curtis Block]

I was always told that not dropping the turret would lead to the aircraft breaking its back. Aluminum Overcast got off relitively easy with their incedent.

Curtis Block

[hang the expense]

Back some years 909 went off the run way at Beaver county and pushed the ball turret hanger uo through the top of the fuselage.The damage was not that bad to that area.The nose and number three being torn off was a differnt story altogether.Long rebuild and a darn fine job was done by the guys at beaver county.Kudos to Scotty Royce.

[Curtis Block]

I forgot that 909 had the turret pushed through the top also. That's my favorite 17 out there. I finally got a chance to fly on her this year. Great airplane.

Curt Block

[muddyboots]

Muddyboots,

Those are propeller blades that are just about ready to bend when they hit the ground. That is a near text-book B-17 belly landing, and if I remember correctly they jettisoned the ball turret and the airplane fought another day. Look at all that nose-up elevator!

Scott

Oh WOW! that's an awesome picture! I thought it was sitting at a stop, weirdly tilted! It's dropping its tail as it lands! that's so cool! The shutter speed was just so high it caught the props!

[Steve Nelson]

When I saw Aluminum Overcast a couple of weeks ago you could make out a slightly different shade where they'd patched the rear fuselage. There's video on the web showing the "incident," and you can see the ball turret mount break through the top. They've done a fantastic job getting her back into shape!

SN

[Curtis Block]

I haven't seen that video, if you could link to it that would be great. I missed them this year but last year I noteced the mismatched paint as well. They were also flying each hop with the gear firmly down.
Curtis Block

[Steve Nelson]

I just saw the video a couple of weeks ago, but I can't find it now. It was shot from a news helicopter..I found mentions of KCBS, but it doesn't seem to be on their website.

SN