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. . . ."
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Posted: Wed May 22, 2024 4:47 pm
by 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.
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Posted: Wed May 22, 2024 5:34 pm
by 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.
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Posted: Wed May 22, 2024 5:43 pm
by Roux
Wolfman wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 5:34 pm
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
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
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?
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Posted: Wed May 22, 2024 8:42 pm
by 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?"
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Wolfman wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 5:34 pm
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.
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Posted: Thu May 23, 2024 3:18 am
by Smackie Chan
Rootbeer wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 2:34 am
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.
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Posted: Thu May 23, 2024 3:21 am
by Diego in Seattle
Rootbeer wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 2:34 am
Did Orr ever practice this crash?
A good pilot practices crashing.
Sin,
H. Ford
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
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:
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Posted: Thu May 23, 2024 3:08 pm
by 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.
Re: Bizarre B-17 Collision Over the North Sea During WWII
Rootbeer wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 2:34 am
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.
