Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII

[StrawMan]

An incredible air combat story worth a read:

https://www.historynet.com/bizarre-b-17 ... ld-war-ii/

When a pair of B-17s collided in midair and became interlocked, the surviving crewmen experienced the ride of their lives.

"At dawn on December 31, 1944, while the Battle of the Bulge raged, two young airmen took off from Thorpe Abbotts, England, and flew their Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress in formation with hundreds of others in what was to be a ‘maximum effort’ over Germany by every available flier. That New Year’s Eve would soon require the maximum effort these two men could muster to stay alive in what has to be considered one of the most unlikely incidents in aerial history. . . ."

[The Whistle Is Screaming]

Cool story, never heard it before.

Did you watch Masters of the Air? Band of Brothers for aviators, really good series on Apple tv.

[Wolfman]

Interesting. Mrs.O's Uncle Doug was a flight engineer on an RCAF bomber during WW2. He was the "old man" at 24 on a crew so young they were called the "Cradle Crew". Got shot down by an Me 262 jet fighter. All bailed safely to land in a German farm field. The farmers first captured them were going to kill them , but a German army patrol came by and actually saved them, sending them to a POW camp. Were released by the invading Russians and got home. The crew captain wrote book called Cradle Crew. I chatted with him about it when he was still alive.

[Roux]

Interesting. Mrs.O's Uncle Doug was a flight engineer on an RCAF bomber during WW2. He was the "old man" at 24 on a crew so young they were called the "Cradle Crew". Got shot down by an Me 262 jet fighter. All bailed safely to land in a German farm field. The farmers first captured them were going to kill them , but a German army patrol came by and actually saved them, sending them to a POW camp. Were released by the invading Russians and got home. The crew captain wrote book called Cradle Crew. I chatted with him about it when he was still alive.

If there was a Hall of Fame for posts on our boards, this would be in it.

Rack

[Diego in Seattle]

Cool story, never heard it before.

Did you watch Masters of the Air? Band of Brothers for aviators, really good series on Apple tv.

First viewing of TP I thought that it was somewhat good but knew that I was unfairly judging by the masterpiece that was BoB. I watched it again this past winter & felt that I enjoyed it a lot more.

How do you slot MOTA?

[The Whistle Is Screaming]

BoB is superior, I felt Mota was more "Hollywood" though (after thinking about it) mostly due to the cgi needed.

I appreciated the after episode interviews with the real hero's.

Both are a great reminder of how lucky I was to be born when I was.

War, "War, what is it good for?"

[Softball Bat]

Interesting. Mrs.O's Uncle Doug was a flight engineer on an RCAF bomber during WW2. He was the "old man" at 24 on a crew so young they were called the "Cradle Crew". Got shot down by an Me 262 jet fighter. All bailed safely to land in a German farm field. The farmers first captured them were going to kill them , but a German army patrol came by and actually saved them, sending them to a POW camp. Were released by the invading Russians and got home. The crew captain wrote book called Cradle Crew. I chatted with him about it when he was still alive.

If there was a Hall of Fame for posts on our boards, this would be in it.

Rack

Cradle Crew? -----> https://www.amazon.com/Cradle-Crew-Roya ... 0897452178

[Wolfman]

They had reunions for a few years. Not sure but I think Uncle Doug was the last.
Toronto TV would interview him on Veterans Day.

[Rootbeer]

Did Orr ever practice this crash?

[Smackie Chan]

Me 262

Great song!

[Smackie Chan]

Did Orr ever practice this crash?

The top turret guns on MacNab’s plane had pierced through the aluminum skin on the bottom of Rojohn’s plane, binding the two huge planes together, as Leek said, like ‘breeding dragonflies.’ The two planes had become one.

Sounds like Nately & his whore.

[Diego in Seattle]

Did Orr ever practice this crash?

A good pilot practices crashing.

Sin,
H. Ford

[StrawMan]

Cool story, never heard it before.

Did you watch Masters of the Air? Band of Brothers for aviators, really good series on Apple tv.

Haven't seen Masters of the Air, but I'll search for it. According to the referring article I read, this story hit the cutting room floor for MotA.

The stories that made it into the show must be amazing!

I forgot to include the artist's rendition of the mid-air collision:

[Mikey]

Great story. My father in law was a crew chief in the AAF in the South Pacific. Trapped in a foxhole for two weeks (according to his account, and I’m not questioning it) on Okinawa and waiting to die when the Marines swept in and rescued them, and he got sent home. He ended up reenlisting and going to OCS, and retired as a Captain. No wonder he always had an appreciation for the Marines.

[Rootbeer]

Did Orr ever practice this crash?

The top turret guns on MacNab’s plane had pierced through the aluminum skin on the bottom of Rojohn’s plane, binding the two huge planes together, as Leek said, like ‘breeding dragonflies.’ The two planes had become one.

Sounds like Nately & his whore.

This is quelle Raqueable.

#limepanties