TEXAS RAIDERS- First Flight in Seven Years- Oct. 14, 2009

John Cotter · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 5:55 pm

Are guys from another bomber invited?

bomberflight · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:23 am

Hi Spanner ~ it's true ! I'll be sneaking into Houston next Wednesday ~ Oct 28th

I'm really looking forward to meeting old friends and the other people who have brought "TR" back to airworthy condition

My "ideal" vacation plan is .....

Go down to see the LSFM in Galveston Thursday

Help out the GCW any way I can Friday and Monday.

Spend Sat / Sun with my camara taking pix at the air show !

Oh ..... and maybe take a ride in one of the THREE "other" bombers at the show selling rides ( B-17 ~ Thunderbird / B-25 ~ Special Delivery / B-24 ~ Ol927 ) http://www.wingsoverhouston.com/woh_rides.htm

And then fly back to England on Tuesday Nov 3rd :roll:

Alan Brooks · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 4:42 pm

"Ol' 927" had a taxi test yesterday and is ready to go! Don, great job down there in mosquitoville. Can't wait to look out of our waist gunners hatch and see you guys on our wing..... Alan

ZRX61 · **Joined:** Tue Jun 14, 2005 10:16 am **Posts:** 2308

SPANNERmkV wrote:

All the required fasteners were still in place, but the material that fell out of the rudder when it was inspected was all shiny and new.
We can't fault anyone but someone currently in GCW.

Shouldn't be too difficult to put a face to the *crime*.. & then take but a moment to weld his toolbox shut

SPANNERmkV · **Posted:** Mon Oct 26, 2009 2:49 pm

John Cotter wrote:

Are guys from another bomber invited?

You betcha... We will let you and Alan BUY dinner!!!

Parazer · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:05 pm

SPANNERmkV wrote:

John Cotter wrote:

Are guys from another bomber invited?

You betcha... We will let you and Alan BUY dinner!!!

What about a demo team member, am I invited?

Alan Brooks · **Posted:** Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:34 pm

Hey Don! I am not going to make the big wing ding down at Mosquitoville this weekend..... something about having to work.... so I will let my Sdqn Leader Charlie Wood stand it for me :wink:

Flysafe and have a great show! Alan

SaxMan · **Posted:** Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:39 pm

Like so many others have mentioned on this thread, TR was the first flying B-17 I ever saw. She did a fly-by at an aishow in College Park, Maryland in '91 or '92, IIRC, College Park was too small to accomodate her. It's really, really good news to see her back where she belongs...in the air. Congrats to all who made that happen.

Steve S · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 8:18 am

Saw some shots of here taxing down the line at Ellington Yesterdat to take her place next to the shiny Green 17 - sure wish I could be there this year to see her flying on our wing.

RyanShort1 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:01 pm

Steve S wrote:

Saw some shots of here taxing down the line at Ellington Yesterdat to take her place next to the shiny Green 17 - sure wish I could be there this year to see her flying on our wing.

Talked to Spanner today (hope he's enjoying a nice dinner right now!) and he said they were dealing with an exhaust that needed repair, and are happy just to have made it to the show. They probably won't fly tomorrow either.

Ryan

SPANNERmkV · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 6:13 pm

Photo by Col. Chris Ebdon
Sunrise at Wings Over Houston 2009
Left- TEXAS RAIDERS
Right - THUNDERBIRD

What a GREAT weekend. No we did not fly Raiders in the Bomber Parade.
But we flew her in Friday and back to Hobby on Sunday evening full of happy volunteers!
Many folks who worked hard on the B17 got their first ever ride that day.
While it was tempting to pull rank, it was even more gratifying to go tag people and get them squared away on the bird.

It has been a heck of a month! Triumphant with the first flight, scary with the FOD problem, sad with Gary checking out... Wonderful with a successful Air Show, Sad yet again as this morning our Adjutant, Craig Freeland's wife Lana passed after fighting cancer for many years.

Savor each day!

SPANNER

67N20 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 05, 2009 10:48 pm

Nice to get to meet you @ WOH, great job by everybody involved. Hopefully nest year we can have 3 B17's @ WOH as I assume Chuckie will be flying by then.

Glen · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:44 am

SPANNERmkV wrote:

Photo by Col. Chris Ebdon
Sunrise at Wings Over Houston 2009
Left- TEXAS RAIDERS
Right - THUNDERBIRD

What a GREAT weekend. No we did not fly Raiders in the Bomber Parade.
But we flew her in Friday and back to Hobby on Sunday evening full of happy volunteers!
Many folks who worked hard on the B17 got their first ever ride that day.
While it was tempting to pull rank, it was even more gratifying to go tag people and get them squared away on the bird.

It has been a heck of a month! Triumphant with the first flight, scary with the FOD problem, sad with Gary checking out... Wonderful with a successful Air Show, Sad yet again as this morning our Adjutant, Craig Freeland's wife Lana passed after fighting cancer for many years.

Savor each day!

SPANNER

Spanner !
It was Great to finally meet you in person. You and the Gulf Coast Wing have done a wonderful job on getting Texas Raiders back were she need's tobe.
I hope that the next time that I get to see TR she will be flying ...........maybe at T.O.M 10 ??

Second Air Force · **Posted:** Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:11 am

Don,

Please pass along our condolences to Craig and his family. We'll be keeping them in our thoughts, especially today.

Scott and Ellen.

SPANNERmkV · **Posted:** Mon Nov 09, 2009 3:17 pm

Scott,
Will do.
I just hung up with Craig.

To bring everyone up to speed...
Gulf Coast Wing Adjutant Col. Craig Freeland lost his wife Lana on Nov. 5th, after a four year up and down battle with cancer.
He described the feeling as having been running a marathon for the last four years and not being able to cross the finish line.

I heard you and Ellie made it to Midland last Friday and I am glad Gary got a good send off.

I've got to end this posting with SOMETHING happier or I am going to get in the dumps again.

GULF COAST WING salutes and thanks
LIBERTY BELLE FOUNDATION

for lending us a yellow tagged landing gear motor. We are getting ours rebuilt to send back to them, but the whole process has allowed us to resume training Flight Crews for TEXAS RAIDERS.

:drink3:

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TEXAS RAIDERS- First Flight in Seven Years- Oct. 14, 2009

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