I was sitting in the drive-through at Whataburger this morning to get some breakfast when I saw an airplane heading south-east. At first all I really recognized was that big ol' freakin' tail-fin because I saw it pretty much side on, and as it passed and I was seeing it from the rear I could make out 4 engines.

It was probably a mile or 2 away and I could use some new glasses, so I'm not absolutely 100% certain that it was. That's a pretty distinctive plane though, especially that tail, and it sounded a lot like the ones I've heard flying on TV. So I'm gonna say 98% certain that's what it was.



Any body in the northeast Dallas County area in Texas that might have seen it too to confirm? When I saw it, I was at the corner of Firewheel Parkway and Pleasant Valley in Garland, and the plane was headed southeast, pretty much in the same direction as Firewheel/Rowlett Road, a little to the north of the road though.

Very, very cool if it was really a B-17. I've never actually seen one before.

Could've been the EEA's "Aluminum Overcast". She's on her way to NV to kick off the annual tour...
http://www.b17.org/

(Excluding moderns, I've been lucky enough to see a B-24, B-25, B17, B-36, C-46, C-47, couple of Spits, Several 'Stangs, and many "lesser" warbirds in the air. Still makes the heart go Flub-a-dub...)

Of course, it could be "Chuckie": http://www.vintageflyingmuseum.org/
Or
"Texas Raiders": http://www.gulfcoastwing.org/
OR
"Thunderbird": http://www.lsfm.org/

I knew there was at least one, possibly 2 flying Lonestar '17's. Glad to see we've got 3!

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=8&f=8&t=302691

With pics.

hey,
they are a incredible site aren't they!!!!a couple of weeks ago,we saw a P-51 fly past are house,Living in N.Illinois will see assorted airplanes flying by,going up to that large air show in Wisconsin,every year,thats when we've seen the B-17,twice now,first time ,it flew right overhead.WOW!!second time,it was off in the distant,What a incredible sound.We've seen a P-38,and some Corsairs,and alot of Texan's,many years ago,I heard of a B-24 flying thru,but I didn't think their where any left in flyable condition .this past weekend I saw something fly by,way overhead,a jet(fairly small,appeared to be white),wings straight out,tanks on the wing tips?painted red,orange stripe on the fuselage.it appeared to have some age to it,but my knowledge in jets,are quite limited.

Joe

Was at the Indy 500 a few years back and they had two fly overs. The first was 5 Mustangs and a B-17. Sounded like nothing I have heard before or since. Yeager was flying one of the Mustangs.
Then a B2 flew past. Fly overs were better than the race that years...
There was an A10 wing at Grissom AFB about an hour from my house and we used to have A10s do practice strafing runs on us all the time while driving down the dead flat Indiana country roads. You can't hear them coming but they are loud once they are by you.
Shaun

Since I live in the next county, I get to see Duxford's Sally B (sometimes with a P51 or P47) a couple of times a year. Once I was walking across the car park of the local supermarket when Sally B and the French B-17 Pink Lady went over together.

David

Sounds as if it could have been a T-33. Testors (?) did one back in the 70's in that aluminum finish. I remember parts of it were red.

I can trump you all. I got to actually fly on the Collings Foundation B-17 "9-0-9" a few years ago. Even better, I went up with my wife's grandfather who was a B-17 ball turret gunner in WWII. We took him up for his 70th Birthday. It was an awesome experience. I will remember it forever.

Google search, "B-17 Liberty Bell". The Liberty Bell is a B-17 that flies all over the US and is set up to take passengers. When you get airborne the pilots let you move about, play with the 50 calibers, bomber stations, etc. I saw it buzzing over Murfreesboro, TN and drove by the local airport-there it was and we took a tour but had missed the last flight of the day. When it comes back-I'm there! The website has a schedule of where it will be throughout the year. I think it will be great to ride in a piece of history like a B 17.

Aint it a trip. Was driving west on I-84 in N.Y. about 14 years ago when a shadow kind of covered my car and not a cloud in the sky. Being the curious fool I am I stuck my head out the window. What a surprize!!! A B-17 about 1000 feet above me. Lucky my buddy was able to grab the wheel. We watched it circle and drove like hell to the local small airstrip and had a real treat. It was the 909 and as a bonus a B-24, the all American was there too. I was real fortunate enough to be able to see these aircraft but was also able to do a walk through. Not only was this a pleaser but it gave me a whole new outlook about the men who flew and fought in these aircraft. It must have taken a lot of nerve as you realized that only beer can thick aluminum seperated them from enemy fire and how fragile they really are. As and extra treat, when they took off, they circled and buzzed the field at about 5oo feet of the deck. Something I will always cherish and my hats off and a big thank you to the men who fought in them to keep the world free.

Saw 909 and All American/Dragon and his Tail here in the Springs a couple years back. Very impressive birds. Got several wlalk around shots of the B-24, but 909 was turning hot laps with passengers pretty much all day and I couldn't get any really close pics of her. I think the strangest thing I have seen here was an Mi-24 Hind "D" flying north following I-25. I was on a bradley gunnery range at the time just sitting and enjoying the sun when I saw it in the distance. I recognized the profile of it immediately and traversed my turret onto it, went to hi-mag and continued to follow him north until I lost sight of him. Painted entirely white like a UN bird, but no markings cept for a registration number on it. Got to walk thru Sentimental Journey (B-17) in Phoenix last year at a model contestas she was in the adjoining hangar and they had her opened up for maintenance. Could not fathom having to work/fight in such tight quarters. I'm 6'3" 235lbs and got "stuck" on several occassions making my way aft. Very tight quarters. Also saw an AN-225 taking off out of Las Vegas. Most god awful loud thing I have ever heard. Had no idea what it was I was looking at so I described it to my buddies and they showed me a pic, and that confirmed it. Huge if nothing else. It is cool to see these war planes in their natural environment instead of parked somewhere collecting dust. "Q"

thank you!!,just did a quik google,T-33 was what it was!!,it was white,looks like it may have been restored to N.G. colors,or do they still use them?

Joe