Guest Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 A 'Several dead' in Connecticut vintage B-17 WWII bomber crash https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49909735 Image copyright CBS Image caption A plane wing is seen among the wreckage Several people have died after a rare World War Two-era plane crashed and burst into flames at an airport in the US state of Connecticut. There were 13 people aboard the vintage Boeing B-17 - dubbed the Flying Fortress - when it crashed outside Hartford on Wednesday morning. The aircraft was civilian-registered and was not being flown by the US military, aviation officials say. Experts say only about 10 B-17 planes are still being flown around the US. According to the Hartford Courant newspaper, at least five people were killed and nine injured, but the number is yet to be confirmed by authorities. "There were fatalities," State Police Commissioner James Rovella told reporters at a news conference, adding: "Victims are very difficult to identify, we don't want to make a mistake." The B-17 flight departed at 09:45 local time (14:45GMT). Five minutes later it reported having difficulties. The crash occurred near the Bradley International Airport at 09:54. "We observed that the aircraft was not gaining altitude," said Connecticut Airport Authority Executive Director Kevin Dillon. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The B-17 was considered state-of-the-art when it was first introduced in 1936 Witness Antonio Arreguin told NBC News that he felt the heat from the fire 250 yards (229m) from the crash site. "In front of me, I see this big ball of orange fire, and I knew something happened," said Mr Arreguin. "The ball of fire was very big." Angela Fletcher, who lives about a half-mile from the airport, told the Courant: "It sounded like an 18-wheeler coming down the street and then it got louder. "Like so loud, it was vibrating things in the house. I looked out the window, and I saw this giant old plane come over the house that was very close, like oddly close to the house." According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane crashed at the end of a runway during an attempted landing. The Collins Foundation, a non-profit that owned the plane, said it was scheduled to participate in the "Wings of Freedom Tour" taking place at the airport from Monday to Thursday this week. 'Stirring symbol' Jeremy Kinney, the curator for World War Two aviation at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, says there are only around 10 B-17 planes still considered "air-worthy", while another 40 or so exist in museums and private collections. Mr Kinney tells BBC News that the strategic bombers were famous for their "rugged construction, their reliability, their ability to take the air war to the Nazis". Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A B-17 bombing run over Nazi Germany on Christmas Eve, 1944 (FILE) They played a "central role" in the campaign over Europe, he says, adding that they became a "stirring symbol" for allied fighters. The aircraft's nickname comes from a newspaper reporter who dubbed it a "flying fortress due to all the machine guns that were protruding from the body" as well as its reputation for delivering US airmen home safely after missions flown from England and Italy. It could carry up to 13 50-calibre machines guns and 4-8,000lbs (1,800-3,600kg) of bombs. When it was first introduced in 1936 it was considered state-of-the-art, but by the end of World War Two it had largely been replaced by the B-29 "Super Fortress". Media playback is unsupported on your device American B-17 Flying Fortress bomber pilots honoured Exit player Media captionAmerican B-17 Flying Fortress bomber pilots honoured "They are one of the most popular and one of the most important airplanes that people want to see," says Mr Kinney, adding that aviation fans also come to hear the "lumbering sound" of the plane's four engines. "It's an iconic symbol of World War Two and it's a really legendary airplane." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Very regretable. I've heard that these vintage warplanes are often operated at significantly reduced power settings in an effort to reduce stresses on the engines. I wonder, was this a factor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Niner Posted October 3, 2019 Share Posted October 3, 2019 4 hours ago, Kip Powick said: The ATC controller asks the crew "What is the reason for coming back" These are the last words heard from the crew I listened to the transcript myself and it sounds more like "Lost number four engine". He made a couple of calls after that on downwind, too. Here's the audio: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanishing point Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 https://www.wfsb.com/news/aircraft-crash-leads-to-fire-at-bradley-airport/article_d514bd24-e51d-11e9-b6ac-47e02ec67428.html?fbclid=IwAR3HzNoiCO1wLSy7xRsgdgdtGgbg_1f4H1VBORmQPXQuz_XoUO9Q4H2glwY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.O. Posted October 4, 2019 Share Posted October 4, 2019 I’m surprised anyone survived through that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st27 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 One engine looked like it’s prop was feathered... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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