Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/10/17

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Subject: [Leica] IMG: From the Cigar Box, WWII Bombers Seen in 1995
From: jhnichols at bellsouth.net (Jim Nichols)
Date: Wed Oct 17 20:06:09 2007

While working with negatives from 1995, I discovered some photos of visiting 
WWII bombers that were in town in the Fall of 1995.  They were a B-17, 
probably a G or H model, and a B-24.  These airplanes had several points of 
interest for me.

As shown in take-off, the thick wing airfoil of the B-17 allows a fairly 
steep climb angle, especially when compared to the B-24 which made use of a 
NACA laminar-flow airfoil designed to achieve higher speeds.  Even with 
partial flaps on take-off, the B-24 climbs at a more conservative angle.

The turrets on the B-24 are impressive. The nose turret lets the gunner feel 
that he is a part of the crew, whereas the retractable belly turret leaves 
the gunner on his own for much of the mission.  I worked for many years with 
an engineer who, as a very young airman, flew missions over Europe in the 
B-24 belly turret.

Taken twelve years ago, the quality of the in-flight images leave a lot to 
be desired, especially when compared to the images that Douglas recently 
posted from England.  However, these old birds are disappearing, so I post 
them in remembrance of what they represented during WWII.

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Cigar+Box/B-17+Seen+in+1995.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Cigar+Box/B-24+Seen+in+1995.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Cigar+Box/B-24+Nose+Turret+1995.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/OldNick/Cigar+Box/B-24+Belly+Turret+1995.jpg.html

Comments and critiques are welcomed and appreciated.

Jim Nichols
Tullahoma, TN USA

Replies: Reply from denik at comcast.net (Dennis Kushner) ([Leica] IMG: From the Cigar Box, WWII Bombers Seen in 1995)
Reply from douglas.sharp at gmx.de (Douglas Sharp) ([Leica] IMG: From the Cigar Box, WWII Bombers Seen in 1995)
Reply from luisripoll at telefonica.net (Luis Ripoll) ([Leica] IMG: From the Cigar Box, WWII Bombers Seen in 1995)
Reply from philippe.orlent at pandora.be (Philippe Orlent) ([Leica] IMG: From the Cigar Box, WWII Bombers Seen in 1995)