I love what the Collings Foundation is all about keeping these airplanes flying so we can enjoy a piece of history. Unfortunately on October 2, 2019 the B-17 in this video crashed in Connecticut and lives where lost. Thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims.
steveo1kinevo As I started my day I look out side to see a bloom of black smoke coming from the direction of Bradley Intl, my stomach went into my head. Truly a day I’ll remember forever.
My father did 22 missions in the B 24 “Jodey”. My dad and the plane survived. Pops is 99 now, still going strong. Bless the B24 or I wouldn’t be here lol.
Really appreciate you keeping the memory of this great airplane alive! My Dad was also a B-24J pilot, with 30 missions over Europe. He was shot down over Calais, France, and his crew managed to return to the UK, to crash land at Hawkinge RAF fighter base. With over 400 holes in the airframe and three engines out, this crew did what was aeronautically impossible with a B-24. Not a single man of the 10 man crew received so much as a scratch! His crew joked with him later telling him they thought it was one of his better landings. Dad was part of the 446th Bomb Group, for which there is an excellent memorial at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, Arizona, a very worthwhile stop for any aviation enthusiast.
Affectionately also known as the “Bungay Buckaroos “Here in England.Bungay in Suffolk part of the Mighty 8th 446th BG(H) There is also a dedication to the Group at the Norfolk and Suffolk air museum in Flixton Suffolk.
My Dad flew in a B24 Liberator during his years serving in WWII. My Dad is 94 and still doing good today. What I wouldn't give to let my Dad go up in the B24 Liberator Bomber once again.
My father flew 33 missions in 24's as part of the 450th BG. He was shot down over Toulon in March '43 and then spent the next 2 years and 3 months as a POW. Arrived back in St. Louis in late July, 1945. These aircrews were very gutsy guys, to say the least. Thanks, Steveo1.
Phil I thank you for your story and your great father for his time in our great Military. I myself am in the Navy been doing it for 23 yrs now and love each day of serving this great nation.
Thank You for sharing. As the Greatest Generation ages and then return to God, I take every chance I get to share time with everyone I meet that is willing. I just sit, listen, and record them sharing any stories of their choice, as well as converse as much as possible. I look forward to the day where I can do something more meaningful with them besides having as just a personal treasure. The more time I've spent with them, the more I realize why they truly are the "Greatest Generation".
My Dad was a gunner on the B -24. He use to affectionately call it " The Whistling Shit- house" I wish I could hear his B-24 stories just one more time.😔
Steve, thank you for sharing. My grandfather served with 15th Air Force, 485th bomber group, 830th bomber squadron as a nose gunner on the b-24 out of north Africa. They were shot down in early 1945, POW in Germany till April 1945. We were blessed that everyone survived and the POW camp was liberated by General Patton. We were able to get some of his stories recorded before he passed away a little over 2 years ago in Vero Beach. Seeing this video really brings to light what conditions our brave soldiers endured during WWII. Thanks again and keep producing great content.
I'm part of the group of Civil Air Patrol members who each year in October in Westminster, MD comes together to welcome The Collings Foundation as they bring these remarkable aircraft to Carroll County Regional Airport! To hear the sound of "Witchcraft's" giant radial engines or the brakes squeal on Nine-O-Nine in person is always fantastic, and to hear Betty Jane P-51 engine start up, there's nothing like it in the world, brings back memories of old school flying! This year will be my 8th year taking part in this spectacular event!
Dad was a Navigator '42 - 43 in the Central Pacific. Wish I had seen this video - and could have shown him before he passed. Thanks for the Tour. I can understand better the few things he mentioned about the plane and his time in combat.
Mine was a staff sergeant in the Pacific during the war, on some of the small islands in the South Pacific. He worked on Liberators as part of the ground crew (he passed the initial tests to be a pilot but had high blood pressure, so they couldn't let him fly missions). Mine has also passed, alas. I know how you feel, he'd have loved to see this.
WOW!!! what a treat Steve. My grandfathers brother flew in one of the RAAF Libs in Papua New Guinea campaign. My grandfather was stationed with the army near the base at Lae. He heard them take off one night, but his brothers plane never returned. God Bless all those young men who gave their lives so we could enjoy the lives we have now.
Thanks Steveo, this is one of my favorite pieces. As a member of the Commemorative Airforce and former A&P working on "the other" Flying B-24 today (Diamond Lil) I can really appreciate this film. I did the work as a volunteer to commemorate the uncle I never got to meet who was the pilot of a B-24, the Battering Ram, flying out of San Pancrazio, Italy to bomb Austrian targets where he was ultimately shot down and perished with 6 of his crew on May 29, 1944. He is still considered MIA.
Between the ice cold conditions, noise and constant worry of danger, young brave men went out in these machines as often as needed or until they met their end. May we never forget the sacrifice of these brave souls. God bless them and their loved ones.
My grandfather was a navigator for B24s in the 15th in Italy and Central Europe. He flew missions over Linz, Austria, and even Ploesti later in the war. He even saw a 262 near the end of the war, but luckily wasn't engaged. I still have his dress uniform, medals, and bomber jacket.
With the exception of flying with my father, this was the best flight I have ever been on! Steveo nice to see you got to experience it. As I watched I got the same goosebumps I got during my flight. My grandfather was a co-pilot of one stationed out of Shipdham England in 44. POW after being shot down and survived the war to tell the stories later on in life.
Did anyone else have flashbacks to Call of Duty 2: Big Red One and the bomber mission in it that had you in this very same plane?? They got the inside done real well!!
Visited this tour a few times while in Ft. Myers, Fl. Was always blown away by everything involved with this celebration of history. At 6'1", 225, it was not easy to get around these planes. I can't fathom what it was like with bullets rattling around, bombs being deployed, and so many other planes crossing paths during runs in the war. I hope the spirits of those lost, plus those who survived but have passed on, sense just how much pride and thanks many of us have for what they did. This show is a true celebration of sacrifice and courage. Spread your wings and continue to fly, boys!
That's right, those airplanes shouldn't be in museum. Having them fly and let people experience it first hand is the best way (although quite expensive)
@@garyjohnson2879 The draft made a people who understood dedication to service and their nation. we lost a lot when JFK and LBJ ruined that vision forever with Vietnam. A conflict I served in. Damn them.
One incident from my city stands out, when I think about this topic. A bomber plane crewman used a parachute over the city after their plane was hit. An angry mob formed and one of them grabbed a pistol from his home. Another crew member got a bit more lucky and was provided with food and told to f--ck off into the woods while he still can. A few days later he surrendered and ended up in a war prisoner camp. Safe to say people generally didn't like those bombing runs they had to endure. Always keep both sides in mind, war is a cruel thing.
I was lucky enough to shoot the same story as a photog at WFSB TV in Hartford years ago. My reporter and I were in a B24 and we were flying in formation with a B17 over the city. Walking through the bomb bay in flight is just a thrill. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
I got to do the exact same thing at an Airshow at March AFB, CA back sometime before or after OEF/OIF. I may have lost my darn video on a crashed hard disk! Even the darn back up drive was zero'd out! Grrr. May have been a crazy virus that busted thru my AV or ???? Anyway, what an awesome experience. I sat in the front gunner seat while we strafed the running with bombs (incendiaries on the flight line to simulate anyway). A wonderful experience. I think it was somewhere 2000-2002 because I was down on "the ICE Mission" in feb o2 and 03 before being sent overseas in 03-04 for you know what. Interesting experiences. Never regret.
EXPERIMENTAL ??? V . F . R ??? THOUGHS DAM CRATES HAVE FLOWN OVER EVEY CONTINENT ON THIS PLANET PROBABLY GET PARTS ON EVERY CONTINENT YOU WENT TO FROM TUCSON TO BABYLONIA . VFR , IFR I R. Not getting in the Ball Turret . It probably didn't run that good back in Tobrokk
My dad was 96, and just passed in March 2021. He was a tail gunner on a B-24 in the South Pacific, serving on Morotai, Leyte and Okinawa. He took a ride in this B-24 when it was called the Dragon and Its Tail back in the early 2000s. My mom, my daughter and I went to watch the flight. The sound of that plane was distinctive, and you knew you had trouble coming your way when you heard it. He flew some really long missions in the B-24 and said it was really cold up at the altitude they flew at. Most of his missions were night bombing raids on shipping and other targets. He was in the 13th Air Force, 868th Bomb Squadron, the 'Snoopers'.. His group was one of the first to have radar. He did not talk much about his service, but we later found a diary he kept,and his gunners log. He always said that he was grateful that he went to the Pacific because the loss rate was so high for the B-24 crews in Europe.
A guy I used to work with many years ago, Robert Salmon, was part of a B-24's crew. He was shot down and had to bailout somewhere over Austria and was captured. He was seriously injured but told me that he got excellent medical treatment from the Germans.
My favorite honor was getting to talk to a B24 Liberator Pilot at his home a few years ago before he passed, such a brave man. Sadly on his first combat mission flying the B24 a handful of Japanese Zeros killed his tail gunner and badly wounded his waste gunners and they were out for almost a year he said! Thank you for this video how cool seeing it from this perspective
I flew on that same B24 a few years ago from San Diego to John Wayne! First rule was don't crawl on the bomb bay doors! Greatest 1-hour flight experience of my life! Nothing like it in the world! Great vid Stevo!
I wish this had been a B-24J with a Top Gunner on it. My dad flew 63 missions in the Pacific as a Sgt-Major and was a top gunner with dual 50's. He never talked about what happened until he was near death. Bravest men in history. Love those B-24s!
My uncle Willis Steburg was a ball turret gunner on Liberators, with the 8th air force, 44th Bomb Group, RAF Shipdahm. Flew 22 missions.He Was shot down over France in april, 1944 near the Swiss border during a raid against a railroad locomotive shop. Only three crewmen got out, with my uncle being the last to bail. The bomber exploded as he jumped. He parachuted down, but had some serious burns. The tail gunner landed first, and as soon as he slipped out of his chute, he sprinted into a forest, where he eventually was smuggled back to England. the 2nd gunner broke his ankle on landing, and with my uncle's injuries, both men sat and waited as German troops closed in. They were both taken to a Luftwaffe hospital to recover from thier injuries. They were then sent to a POW camp in Poland where they would spend the rest of the war. They were liberated by US troops in May, 1945. He returned to his wife in Portsmouth, Ohio, and raised a daughter. He also helped raise me in my early childhood years. My uncle Willie seldom spoke of his war experiences, I guess like many, he didn't want to. The citations in his den spoke for him. He passed away in 1996. Some day I will fly in a Liberator in his honor.
I've just about all of Steveo's vids and this one takes it to the next level. Voice-over work and music were excellent and appropriate, too. That was the quickest 20 minutes of my life!
This is the plane that was the king of the skies in WW2....and these pilots and crew were second to none!!!! God Bless them...because of them the world is a better place!
Thanks for this video. My grandfather was a radio operator that flew 25 missions over Germany during ww2 in a B24. Told me some crazy stories.. so much respect for that generation.
Thanks for sharing this Stevo. My uncle Nicky, who I never got to meet, was a tailgunner in a B-24, and was lost over the island of Morotai in the Phillipines, after his bomber ran out gas, coming back from a bombing run. Cool to see what his vantage point must have looked like....
My great uncle was also a b24 tail gunner in the south pacific. His plane went down near the Marshall Islands Christmas Eve 1943. No crew or wreckage was ever recovered. I have a lot of his military memorabilia including his log book with the last entry being 12/24/43 and stating they were out on a 8 hr routine patrol. In 2016 I was lucky enough to fly on this very same plane in the video. It was surreal.
I also had the pleasure of a joyride on the Witchcraft out of Long Beach in 2015 for $500. (or 2014, I can't be sure.) One thing I recall clearly, being a commercial pilot myself, was their pilot's care in not over-stressing this great old war bird which, I was told, was the last flying Liberator on earth that actually saw action in world War ll. When I stood behind them mid-way during the half hour flight I never saw the airspeed exceed 160 Knots -- very slow for a four engine empty bomber. The flight was worth every dime ...a flight I will never forget.
My Dad did 33 missions in a B-17 and a B-24 during WWII he was a flight engineer. It still amazes me today how they would go up in those aircraft with people shooting at you from all different directions. Never mind temperatures of 30 below zero and have to wear an oxygen mask. But they did it
My dad was a B-24 flight engineer/ top turret gunner in WW2. Served with the 44th bomb group, 8th Air Force.Dad is 100 years old now and still gets around pretty good. My dad is a hero to me and all of the flight crews in the Army Air Force are my heroes too.
Thanks for the video. My grandfather worked in the Willow Run, MI B-24 plant during the war. He talked about once seeing Henry Ford there and how they employed "little people" to work inside the wings. I still have a hand book of the plant he gave me!
Love this stuff....Had an Uncle...Fathers side...was a pilot of a bomber during WW 2....Pop had to do a bit of a hospital stay and his brother thought it was a good idea to low fly...Buzz...the hospital...lol..Pop ask him when he walked into the hospital looking all the part of a Bomber pilot..." Aren't you afraid of what they might do to you ? " Tom said... " What are they going to do send me to war to get killed !" ...He was already there....he made it thru and lived a long and great life...He did learn after the war not to fly a rented Cessna inverted over our house in Saugus , Calif....seems the fuel pump is not so good that way...he did save it before ground contact ...his sailboat days off Mexico in the 60's should have been so lucky..but then again he was not on the helm...lol...
Great video...I’ve been on this plane twice, once in Houston and once in Austin. My dad flew B-24’s based in Italy, he was a top turret/flight engineer.
Thank you for an excellent video experience. My father sat in that seat in the tail for a lot of missions. Never would talk about it until one night opened up and the whole story of getting shot down , losing one of his buddies, breaking his arm, getting captured and going to prison camp came out.
My Fiance's Grandpa is the same. He requested, yes requested, infantry to get out of gunner squad. He said they were loud and he was losing hearing and daily migraines. He won't discuss the bad but he does talk about dodging the German shelling from the gargantuan guns they used daily. He is an amazing man just like your father. I respect the hell out of everyone won served.
Our very quiet, never rattled, precise office mgr, responsible for payroll and all of the complex Co financial details, was former B-24 pilot WWII. Never talked about his missions to us, the dozens of [International company] NM branch employees. 21 gun salute, interred in Santa Fe NM National Cemetery.
I was lucky enough to ride in the B17 Nine-O-Nine that flies with that same B24, my great grandfather was a ball-turret gunner in the B17 in WW2. A year before he died in 2015 I got to fly in it with him for one last time. It was an amazing experience. There's nothing like it.
That was great video, my DAD was a Bombardier, in II, on a B-24 tail # N519-2, flying the Ploesti oil Field Bombing Raids. He was based in Aviano Italy, he was shot down on his 18th mission 1943 over Romania, after bailing out and safely landing he was picked up by the partisans, transported and smuggled through the nights for two months until being safely recovered by the allies to later being shipped back to the states. He was a Lucky 20 yr old kid!
Thanks for this Steveo - great job w the video and editing, per usual. We all owe so much to the greatest generation!! THANK GOD for their sacrifice - and to all who still do today.
When i was fresh out of High School, (early 70's), there were still plenty of War 2 veterans in the work force. I worked with a guy who was a crewman on B24's, he said it was really like a flying pig when loaded down with fuel and bombs, but once you burned off enough of the gas/bombs you didn't have to fight it so much. This is really a powerful tribute to those who served in those days, its hard to comprehend that 100,000+ allied airmen died in the skies over Europe, or that those little black clouds,(flak), in the distance were probably killing your friends, and would be waiting for you too ! The part of their story that we should remember is that they faced this day after day until they flew 25 missions. That doesn't sound like much, BUT the Army only expected them to fly 5-12 missions before being shot down or disabled !! And when they came home, they became "just the guy next door", but they weren't ,they were the best dam thing that ever happened to America.
Wow 12 missions before you're expected to be downed and they did more than double? Incomprehensible those world wars were cant even begin to understand how their life was like or what went through their head during those missions
With that being said these bombers are really cool their massive size multiple guns and bombs with people crawling through it like a massive bus is something else.
I wish my father in law was still alive to see this. He was a B-24 pilot in WWII and flew many missions over Europe and Ploesti. One of his instructors was at that time LTC James (Jimmy) Stewart. We have check off sheets signed by him. Capt. James Leighton passed at 49 years old from Mesothelioma. The doctors thought he might have contracted it from the asbestos in the cockpit. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Silver Star. One of his turret gunners was shot out of the aircraft. The aircraft landed safely from that flight.
You've certainly outdone yourself this time. Fabulous video and, might I add, major props to the pilot for that exceptional intro to the aircraft. I've crawled through Witchcraft while on the ground but in the air must have been incredible!
Good video. My dad was in the 772 squadron, based in Italy. He was their only aerial photographer. The squadron flew 33 missions over Europe. Dad flew an additional 35 recon missions to get photos for the next day's flight. Totally 68 flights/ missions. He hung out those windows to get the best shots. When low on fuel or the aircraft was shot up when crossing the Brenner Pass/Alps sat in the Bombay door area ready to jump out to lighten the load. His nickname was lucky because his aircraft's always returned home. Crazy years...
Very cool! Witchcraft was visiting San Antonio back in Feb on the Wings of Freedom tour along with the B-17, B-25, and a P-51. I didn't take the flight they offered because I was paying for my 182's annual at the time; so it's great you took the time to go up and share it with us. Thanks Steveo!!
I'm so glad there are still people with the money and passion to keep those old planes in the air. My grandfather off loaded the bomb at the docks in Tinian which ultimately hit Hiroshima. That generation was exceptional.
By no means disrespectful, but the closest people today will have to actually being a gunner is in Call of Duty: Big Red One Tunisia mission where you are a gunner and actually craw back and forth through the plane to both positions. I certainly gained an appreciation of the sheer guts it took to get up there and stay in position so exposed with the enemy firing back at you.
Dad was B-24 pilot. Joined at 17. Flew in WW2, the Pacific and also flew "intimidation runs" over Japan after the bomb was dropped. He and all his crew rode out a hurricane on Guam in the burial catacombs in the mountains as their tent housing was blown away. I rode in this plane a few years back in Detroit at the Yankee Air Museum show. The pilot did a fly-bye the tower at Metro Airport (DSW) about 100 feet off the deck. We could see the controllers in the tower at eye level from the waist gunner openings. When I asked dad why he wouldn't join me on the flight, his answer was classic...He said: "I don't ride in the back of the bus." One of the truly great guys. An electrical engineer, he also worked on a land based system for detecting far away objects (RADAR) and taught at Fenn College (Cleveland State) during the a "call back" to service.
My grandfather was the captain of a B-24 in WWII. He survived 50 mission and was awarded the distinguished flying cross for his actions in Operation Tidal Wave over Polesti. Several years ago, before he passed, I took him to an air show and we toured the Witchcraft. Too be honest it brought up some bad memories for him, but many people saw his WWII veteran hat and shook his hand and thanked him. A bittersweet goodbye, and an experience I will never forget.
I'm not American myself, but I am just in awe of what American soldiers had to endure during World War 2 (alongside other soldiers from other countries). But, i'd very proud as an American having American soldiers protect me every day. They got my love and respect.
My dad was a Pearl Harbor survivor and flew in B24's & 25's. He was the nose gunner at Midway and this video gave me the best sense of what that must have been like so thank you!
Curious what the annual maintenance cost is on a aircraft like that? Just estimate. Also, their engineer looked pretty young. So awesome that he's involved. Far too many people in the up and coming generation have no interest at all in something this amazing. So sad, but so grateful it's still actively being shared.
"so a duck walks into a bar, er, waddles- so a duck walks into to the bar and says to the bartender, 'can i have a creme de menthe' *engine failure*" - best war movie
Thanks! Back again to watch your excellent journey. I flew the same 1/2-hour flight in honor of my nose-gunner Dad and was shocked to find that nose-wheel still spinning when I passed by toward the front turret. I thought I might fall over against it and get thrown clear out the nose-gear doors! Unforgettable experience, still can't imagine it in actual combat.
I love what the Collings Foundation is all about keeping these airplanes flying so we can enjoy a piece of history. Unfortunately on October 2, 2019 the B-17 in this video crashed in Connecticut and lives where lost. Thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims.
steveo1kinevo As I started my day I look out side to see a bloom of black smoke coming from the direction of Bradley Intl, my stomach went into my head. Truly a day I’ll remember forever.
@Hugoj Sim racing engine trouble and couldn't make it back
Totally different plane
The plane which crashed was a B17. Thoughts are with the families and relatives
R.I.P “nine o nine” 😢😢😭
My father did 22 missions in the B 24 “Jodey”. My dad and the plane survived. Pops is 99 now, still going strong. Bless the B24 or I wouldn’t be here lol.
Props to your pops!
I’d love to hear his stories!
Big thank you to your dad and all the other heroes👍🏻
Tell your dad Thank you for his service.I bet he has some awesome stories.
Props to your pops in the prop
I love seeing professionals doing professional stuff in t-shirts.
TurkishKB on point
yeah imagine how the video would've been if they wore WW2 pilot uniforms
Professionals ? Professional idiots more like it.
Really appreciate you keeping the memory of this great airplane alive! My Dad was also a B-24J pilot, with 30 missions over Europe. He was shot down over Calais, France, and his crew managed to return to the UK, to crash land at Hawkinge RAF fighter base. With over 400 holes in the airframe and three engines out, this crew did what was aeronautically impossible with a B-24. Not a single man of the 10 man crew received so much as a scratch! His crew joked with him later telling him they thought it was one of his better landings. Dad was part of the 446th Bomb Group, for which there is an excellent memorial at the Pima Air Museum in Tucson, Arizona, a very worthwhile stop for any aviation enthusiast.
Thanks for sharing. Glad he made it back safe!
Awesome story! My great grandfather was also a B-24 Pilot!!
This 49 yr old American respects all of the brave men who risked their lives so I can do stuff like this today!
What a story. You must be so proud of your dad. What a hero. Brave man. My dad was in the 8th Air Corp stationed in the UK.
Affectionately also known as the “Bungay Buckaroos “Here in England.Bungay in Suffolk part of the Mighty 8th 446th BG(H) There is also a dedication to the Group at the Norfolk and Suffolk air museum in Flixton Suffolk.
I understand for safety reasons you couldn't, but if you could've opened those bomb bay doors that would be been an ace view
Matt James proceeds to accidentally bomb village.
@@ratlord6192 lol
I was on a b-17 ride and they opened them for us.
the only thing that would be dropping through those doors is my vomit
Still wondered why bomber crew didn't get sucked out.
My Dad flew in a B24 Liberator during his years serving in WWII. My Dad is 94 and still doing good today. What I wouldn't give to let my Dad go up in the B24 Liberator Bomber once again.
👍
You can give them $400. That’s what the ride costs and I bet if he brought proof he was air crew they would let him go for free.
Nice
I'm grateful for his service
@@brianwilkins5673 definitely. these guys are history preservationists and i have no doubt they would love to meet him!
My father flew 33 missions in 24's as part of the 450th BG. He was shot down over Toulon in March '43 and then spent the next 2 years and 3 months as a POW. Arrived back in St. Louis in late July, 1945. These aircrews were very gutsy guys, to say the least. Thanks, Steveo1.
Wow Phil, thanks for sharing! Glad your father was able to make it back home.
Cool story bro!
Weird flex but ok
Phil I thank you for your story and your great father for his time in our great Military. I myself am in the Navy been doing it for 23 yrs now and love each day of serving this great nation.
Thank You for sharing. As the Greatest Generation ages and then return to God, I take every chance I get to share time with everyone I meet that is willing. I just sit, listen, and record them sharing any stories of their choice, as well as converse as much as possible. I look forward to the day where I can do something more meaningful with them besides having as just a personal treasure. The more time I've spent with them, the more I realize why they truly are the "Greatest Generation".
My Dad was a gunner on the B -24.
He use to affectionately
call it
" The Whistling Shit- house"
I wish I could hear his B-24 stories just one more time.😔
🌹🇺🇸🇳🇿
Live Wire we are blessed to have people like your father❤️ bless you!
F
My grandad was a bomber mechanic in the R.A.F for Lancasters it was nice to hear his stories
My grandad was a miner in New Zealand 🇳🇿 after the war
Steve, thank you for sharing. My grandfather served with 15th Air Force, 485th bomber group, 830th bomber squadron as a nose gunner on the b-24 out of north Africa. They were shot down in early 1945, POW in Germany till April 1945. We were blessed that everyone survived and the POW camp was liberated by General Patton. We were able to get some of his stories recorded before he passed away a little over 2 years ago in Vero Beach. Seeing this video really brings to light what conditions our brave soldiers endured during WWII. Thanks again and keep producing great content.
Wow, glad he was able to make it back home! You should be very proud of your grandfather. Thanks for sharing his story.
I'm part of the group of Civil Air Patrol members who each year in October in Westminster, MD comes together to welcome The Collings Foundation as they bring these remarkable aircraft to Carroll County Regional Airport! To hear the sound of "Witchcraft's" giant radial engines or the brakes squeal on Nine-O-Nine in person is always fantastic, and to hear Betty Jane P-51 engine start up, there's nothing like it in the world, brings back memories of old school flying! This year will be my 8th year taking part in this spectacular event!
well done you managed to not ruin it with tons of music like so many others.
Those four engines are music any day
Dad was a Navigator '42 - 43 in the Central Pacific. Wish I had seen this video - and could have shown him before he passed. Thanks for the Tour. I can understand better the few things he mentioned about the plane and his time in combat.
Mine was a staff sergeant in the Pacific during the war, on some of the small islands in the South Pacific. He worked on Liberators as part of the ground crew (he passed the initial tests to be a pilot but had high blood pressure, so they couldn't let him fly missions). Mine has also passed, alas. I know how you feel, he'd have loved to see this.
WOW!!! what a treat Steve. My grandfathers brother flew in one of the RAAF Libs in Papua New Guinea campaign. My grandfather was stationed with the army near the base at Lae. He heard them take off one night, but his brothers plane never returned.
God Bless all those young men who gave their lives so we could enjoy the lives we have now.
Thanks Steveo, this is one of my favorite pieces. As a member of the Commemorative Airforce and former A&P working on "the other" Flying B-24 today (Diamond Lil) I can really appreciate this film. I did the work as a volunteer to commemorate the uncle I never got to meet who was the pilot of a B-24, the Battering Ram, flying out of San Pancrazio, Italy to bomb Austrian targets where he was ultimately shot down and perished with 6 of his crew on May 29, 1944. He is still considered MIA.
Short pants, tee shirts, warm breezes, low altitude and friendly skies- must be peacetime. Thank you veterans!!!
Yeah this bird just came back from Afghanistan. 🤣🤣🤣
Totally right, nothing like grandpa told how it was to fly in a B24. He told me cold as … and scared to death.
Between the ice cold conditions, noise and constant worry of danger, young brave men went out in these machines as often as needed or until they met their end. May we never forget the sacrifice of these brave souls. God bless them and their loved ones.
My grandfather was a navigator for B24s in the 15th in Italy and Central Europe. He flew missions over Linz, Austria, and even Ploesti later in the war. He even saw a 262 near the end of the war, but luckily wasn't engaged. I still have his dress uniform, medals, and bomber jacket.
My grandfather was also a navigator in a b24 over Italy. Have his bomber jacket and think of him every day. Thanks for sharing made my day really.
With the exception of flying with my father, this was the best flight I have ever been on! Steveo nice to see you got to experience it. As I watched I got the same goosebumps I got during my flight. My grandfather was a co-pilot of one stationed out of Shipdham England in 44. POW after being shot down and survived the war to tell the stories later on in life.
Did anyone else have flashbacks to Call of Duty 2: Big Red One and the bomber mission in it that had you in this very same plane?? They got the inside done real well!!
That mission was the first thing that popped in my head when I watched the intro! Big Red One was the shit
Visited this tour a few times while in Ft. Myers, Fl. Was always blown away by everything involved with this celebration of history. At 6'1", 225, it was not easy to get around these planes. I can't fathom what it was like with bullets rattling around, bombs being deployed, and so many other planes crossing paths during runs in the war. I hope the spirits of those lost, plus those who survived but have passed on, sense just how much pride and thanks many of us have for what they did. This show is a true celebration of sacrifice and courage. Spread your wings and continue to fly, boys!
That's right, those airplanes shouldn't be in museum. Having them fly and let people experience it first hand is the best way (although quite expensive)
Heres to all the great guys who never made it back!!!!!!!!!
YES AND THERE WERE MANY. THEY LOVED THEIR COUNTRY AND WAS PROUD TO SERVE. LETS BRING BACK THE DRAFT. I WAS IN 68 TO 74 NAVY
@@garyjohnson2879 thanks for your service!
@@garyjohnson2879 The draft made a people who understood dedication to service and their nation. we lost a lot when JFK and LBJ ruined that vision forever with Vietnam. A conflict I served in. Damn them.
One incident from my city stands out, when I think about this topic. A bomber plane crewman used a parachute over the city after their plane was hit. An angry mob formed and one of them grabbed a pistol from his home. Another crew member got a bit more lucky and was provided with food and told to f--ck off into the woods while he still can. A few days later he surrendered and ended up in a war prisoner camp.
Safe to say people generally didn't like those bombing runs they had to endure. Always keep both sides in mind, war is a cruel thing.
@@notsure9259 Which city?
I was lucky enough to shoot the same story as a photog at WFSB TV in Hartford years ago. My reporter and I were in a B24 and we were flying in formation with a B17 over the city. Walking through the bomb bay in flight is just a thrill. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
Thanks Eric! Glad you enjoyed the video. That is so cool you did the same type of video for people to see it on TV.
Awesome Video! Remember when I did this on the Nine 0' Nine...never will forget that thrilling Day! Keep em flying!❤💪☝️
I got to do the exact same thing at an Airshow at March AFB, CA back sometime before or after OEF/OIF. I may have lost my darn video on a crashed hard disk! Even the darn back up drive was zero'd out! Grrr. May have been a crazy virus that busted thru my AV or ???? Anyway, what an awesome experience. I sat in the front gunner seat while we strafed the running with bombs (incendiaries on the flight line to simulate anyway). A wonderful experience. I think it was somewhere 2000-2002 because I was down on "the ICE Mission" in feb o2 and 03 before being sent overseas in 03-04 for you know what. Interesting experiences. Never regret.
EXPERIMENTAL ???
V . F . R ??? THOUGHS DAM CRATES HAVE FLOWN OVER EVEY CONTINENT ON THIS PLANET PROBABLY GET PARTS ON EVERY CONTINENT YOU WENT TO FROM TUCSON TO BABYLONIA .
VFR , IFR
I R. Not getting in the Ball Turret . It probably didn't run that good back in Tobrokk
Look at the seat they put you in, ouch.
My dad was 96, and just passed in March 2021. He was a tail gunner on a B-24 in the South Pacific, serving on Morotai, Leyte and Okinawa. He took a ride in this B-24 when it was called the Dragon and Its Tail back in the early 2000s. My mom, my daughter and I went to watch the flight. The sound of that plane was distinctive, and you knew you had trouble coming your way when you heard it. He flew some really long missions in the B-24 and said it was really cold up at the altitude they flew at. Most of his missions were night bombing raids on shipping and other targets. He was in the 13th Air Force, 868th Bomb Squadron, the 'Snoopers'.. His group was one of the first to have radar. He did not talk much about his service, but we later found a diary he kept,and his gunners log. He always said that he was grateful that he went to the Pacific because the loss rate was so high for the B-24 crews in Europe.
A guy I used to work with many years ago, Robert Salmon, was part of a B-24's crew. He was shot down and had to bailout somewhere over Austria and was captured. He was seriously injured but told me that he got excellent medical treatment from the Germans.
I taxied behind that B24 at KFXE that same day. Was incredible.
Flyers District class!!
Nice.
Flyers District fucking awesome
Anyone else get anxiety watching him crawl so close to that rapidly spinning front gear?
Why was it spinning so much anyway?
@@jackwestcott615 When u take off the wheel spins at the speed that the plane was
@@jackwestcott615 It doesn't have breaks apparently, so it just keeps spinning after takeoff.
You trying to kill some krauts or what soldier?! No room for fear in God's army
@Dyl Bull At least he got the spirit lmao
She is a beautiful aircraft. Thank you for keeping this old Warbird flying.
My favorite honor was getting to talk to a B24 Liberator Pilot at his home a few years ago before he passed, such a brave man. Sadly on his first combat mission flying the B24 a handful of Japanese Zeros killed his tail gunner and badly wounded his waste gunners and they were out for almost a year he said! Thank you for this video how cool seeing it from this perspective
I'm 71 . Used to watch T.V. " 12 o'clock high" . Very good show about WW2 flying. 😊
My Grandpa was a Navigator Bombardier on a B24 during WWII. Thank you for the in flight tour SteveO
I did this a few years ago w my Dad. Was an incredible experience. My Grandfather flew in b-24s in WWII.
I flew on that same B24 a few years ago from San Diego to John Wayne! First rule was don't crawl on the bomb bay doors! Greatest 1-hour flight experience of my life! Nothing like it in the world! Great vid Stevo!
Wow awesome video. My grandpa flew 53 combat missions in WW2 front gunner B-24. I always wanted to see the inside of one of these.
I wish this had been a B-24J with a Top Gunner on it. My dad flew 63 missions in the Pacific as a Sgt-Major and was a top gunner with dual 50's. He never talked about what happened until he was near death. Bravest men in history. Love those B-24s!
My uncle Willis Steburg was a ball turret gunner on Liberators, with the 8th air force, 44th Bomb Group, RAF Shipdahm. Flew 22 missions.He Was shot down over France in april, 1944 near the Swiss border during a raid against a railroad locomotive shop. Only three crewmen got out, with my uncle being the last to bail. The bomber exploded as he jumped. He parachuted down, but had some serious burns.
The tail gunner landed first, and as soon as he slipped out of his chute, he sprinted into a forest, where he eventually was smuggled back to England. the 2nd gunner broke his ankle on landing, and with my uncle's injuries, both men sat and waited as German troops closed in. They were both taken to a Luftwaffe hospital to recover from thier injuries. They were then sent to a POW camp in Poland where they would spend the rest of the war. They were liberated by US troops in May, 1945.
He returned to his wife in Portsmouth, Ohio, and raised a daughter. He also helped raise me in my early childhood years. My uncle Willie seldom spoke of his war experiences, I guess like many, he didn't want to. The citations in his den spoke for him. He passed away in 1996. Some day I will fly in a Liberator in his honor.
Shipdam....still in use today
I've just about all of Steveo's vids and this one takes it to the next level. Voice-over work and music were excellent and appropriate, too. That was the quickest 20 minutes of my life!
Awesome sound mixing too!
My Father was an MP in England, and was a security guard..protecting B -17s..got bombed many times and survived to come home and raise 6 children.
This is the plane that was the king of the skies in WW2....and these pilots and crew were second to none!!!! God Bless them...because of them the world is a better place!
"Hey, Stretch, isn't your brother in the Big Red One?"
Somebody better get this
Yes
Haven't played it but am a big enough fan to have watched the mission. I can imagine myself wasting hours on the mission as a kid too :)
Cod big red one.i had the collectores eddition on my ps2. I have so mamu memories with that game and still play it to this day.
Damn it, Stretch! That one was mine!!
Call of Duty 2: Big Red One.
Now we can see why you "tap" the brakes during "gear up" GREAT experience.
Dude great footage. Btw, amazing this plane was able to lift up during the war due to weight of the crew's balls
anti gravity balls.
So their balls were light?
*"despite the weight" is what you probably wanted to say.
So true
Thank You......My Dad was a Bombadier in the war in a B-24. He didn't talk about it Much, But Now I Know!!!!!! Thank You again.
Thanks for this video. My grandfather was a radio operator that flew 25 missions over Germany during ww2 in a B24. Told me some crazy stories.. so much respect for that generation.
That weird frame-rate vs propeller effect always messes with my head; looks so surreal.
To answer your question, Stevo, I *have* wondered what it would be like to crawl through a B-24 bomber in flight. Thanks for sharing this!
Thanks for sharing this Stevo. My uncle Nicky, who I never got to meet, was a tailgunner in a B-24, and was lost over the island of Morotai in the Phillipines, after his bomber ran out gas, coming back from a bombing run. Cool to see what his vantage point must have looked like....
My great uncle was also a b24 tail gunner in the south pacific. His plane went down near the Marshall Islands Christmas Eve 1943. No crew or wreckage was ever recovered. I have a lot of his military memorabilia including his log book with the last entry being 12/24/43 and stating they were out on a 8 hr routine patrol. In 2016 I was lucky enough to fly on this very same plane in the video. It was surreal.
Such a beautiful craft. I'm glad to see it in good hands that care greatly for it but still want it to be experienced by people today.
I also had the pleasure of a joyride on the Witchcraft out of Long Beach in 2015 for $500. (or 2014, I can't be sure.) One thing I recall clearly, being a commercial pilot myself, was their pilot's care in not over-stressing this great old war bird which, I was told, was the last flying Liberator on earth that actually saw action in world War ll. When I stood behind them mid-way during the half hour flight I never saw the airspeed exceed 160 Knots -- very slow for a four engine empty bomber. The flight was worth every dime ...a flight I will never forget.
This is nothing short of incredible. You can really feel what it’s like after watching this.
Love the cameo voice-appearance of Captain Mindy! Another great video Steveo!
Here before this gets 1 million views
heyyy iron! my man
The Iron Armenian aka G.I. Haigs hahaha! If it’s anything like flight chop’s b-29 video, then it won’t be too long! ;)
I love ur vids man
mee
still hasnt got 1mill views guess u over estimated mate lol
My Dad did 33 missions in a B-17 and a B-24 during WWII he was a flight engineer. It still amazes me today how they would go up in those aircraft with people shooting at you from all different directions. Never mind temperatures of 30 below zero and have to wear an oxygen mask. But they did it
My dad was a B-24 flight engineer/ top turret gunner in WW2. Served with the 44th bomb group, 8th Air Force.Dad is 100 years old now and still gets around pretty good. My dad is a hero to me and all of the flight crews in the Army Air Force are my heroes too.
Thanks for the video. My grandfather worked in the Willow Run, MI B-24 plant during the war. He talked about once seeing Henry Ford there and how they employed "little people" to work inside the wings. I still have a hand book of the plant he gave me!
Love this - father led the 8th Air Force D Day Invasion with B24 - have his original flight plan! enjoyed! thank you
Amazing, props to the past airmen whom flew this, dealing with the tight quarters in the plane and how cold it must have been.
This was awesome. Our great-grandfather was a flight engineer in a B-24J during WWII (and a POW at Stalag XVII-B), so this video was great.
🌹🇺🇸🇳🇿
Love this stuff....Had an Uncle...Fathers side...was a pilot of a bomber during WW 2....Pop had to do a bit of a hospital stay and his brother thought it was a good idea to low fly...Buzz...the hospital...lol..Pop ask him when he walked into the hospital looking all the part of a Bomber pilot..." Aren't you afraid of what they might do to you ? " Tom said... " What are they going to do send me to war to get killed !" ...He was already there....he made it thru and lived a long and great life...He did learn after the war not to fly a rented Cessna inverted over our house in Saugus , Calif....seems the fuel pump is not so good that way...he did save it before ground contact ...his sailboat days off Mexico in the 60's should have been so lucky..but then again he was not on the helm...lol...
Great video...I’ve been on this plane twice, once in Houston and once in Austin. My dad flew B-24’s based in Italy, he was a top turret/flight engineer.
Thank you for an excellent video experience. My father sat in that seat in the tail for a lot of missions. Never would talk about it until one night opened up and the whole story of getting shot down , losing one of his buddies, breaking his arm, getting captured and going to prison camp came out.
My Fiance's Grandpa is the same. He requested, yes requested, infantry to get out of gunner squad. He said they were loud and he was losing hearing and daily migraines. He won't discuss the bad but he does talk about dodging the German shelling from the gargantuan guns they used daily. He is an amazing man just like your father. I respect the hell out of everyone won served.
Our very quiet, never rattled, precise office mgr, responsible for payroll and all of the complex Co financial details, was former B-24 pilot WWII. Never talked about his missions to us, the dozens of [International company] NM branch employees. 21 gun salute, interred in Santa Fe NM National Cemetery.
‘Murica
father?
Blog that shit
*user disconnected from your channel*
@asdf whoa bud gonna need a 10 NM Separation from that hot air balloon heavy.
Are you groundpound69
It’s such an amazing aircraft, amazing of them too keep it alive all this time, so much respect too the boys that flew it back when
I was lucky enough to ride in the B17 Nine-O-Nine that flies with that same B24, my great grandfather was a ball-turret gunner in the B17 in WW2. A year before he died in 2015 I got to fly in it with him for one last time. It was an amazing experience. There's nothing like it.
That was great video, my DAD was a Bombardier, in II, on a B-24 tail # N519-2, flying the Ploesti oil Field Bombing Raids. He was based in Aviano Italy, he was shot down on his 18th mission 1943 over Romania, after bailing out and safely landing he was picked up by the partisans, transported and smuggled through the nights for two months until being safely recovered by the allies to later being shipped back to the states. He was a Lucky 20 yr old kid!
Thanks for this Steveo - great job w the video and editing, per usual. We all owe so much to the greatest generation!! THANK GOD for their sacrifice - and to all who still do today.
When i was fresh out of High School, (early 70's), there were still plenty of War 2 veterans in the work force. I worked with a guy who was a crewman on B24's, he said it was really like a flying pig when loaded down with fuel and bombs, but once you burned off enough of the gas/bombs you didn't have to fight it so much. This is really a powerful tribute to those who served in those days, its hard to comprehend that 100,000+ allied airmen died in the skies over Europe, or that those little black clouds,(flak), in the distance were probably killing your friends, and would be waiting for you too ! The part of their story that we should remember is that they faced this day after day until they flew 25 missions. That doesn't sound like much, BUT the Army only expected them to fly 5-12 missions before being shot down or disabled !! And when they came home, they became "just the guy next door", but they weren't ,they were the best dam thing that ever happened to America.
Wow 12 missions before you're expected to be downed and they did more than double? Incomprehensible those world wars were cant even begin to understand how their life was like or what went through their head during those missions
With that being said these bombers are really cool their massive size multiple guns and bombs with people crawling through it like a massive bus is something else.
I had the privilege to fly in this plane with a few others flying in formation and it was amazing.
I wish my father in law was still alive to see this. He was a B-24 pilot in WWII and flew many missions over Europe and Ploesti. One of his instructors was at that time LTC James (Jimmy) Stewart. We have check off sheets signed by him. Capt. James Leighton passed at 49 years old from Mesothelioma. The doctors thought he might have contracted it from the asbestos in the cockpit. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Silver Star. One of his turret gunners was shot out of the aircraft. The aircraft landed safely from that flight.
So awesome to see. I just read a book by a B-24 pilot and it was great to be able to see a lot of what he talked about brought to life.
That cockpit view is INCREDIBLE!!
You've certainly outdone yourself this time. Fabulous video and, might I add, major props to the pilot for that exceptional intro to the aircraft. I've crawled through Witchcraft while on the ground but in the air must have been incredible!
the chatter on the radio always fascinated me, it’s like a whole different language
Good video. My dad was in the 772 squadron, based in Italy. He was their only aerial photographer. The squadron flew 33 missions over Europe. Dad flew an additional 35 recon missions to get photos for the next day's flight. Totally 68 flights/ missions. He hung out those windows to get the best shots. When low on fuel or the aircraft was shot up when crossing the Brenner Pass/Alps sat in the Bombay door area ready to jump out to lighten the load. His nickname was lucky because his aircraft's always returned home. Crazy years...
Very cool! Witchcraft was visiting San Antonio back in Feb on the Wings of Freedom tour along with the B-17, B-25, and a P-51. I didn't take the flight they offered because I was paying for my 182's annual at the time; so it's great you took the time to go up and share it with us. Thanks Steveo!!
14:57 Nice to see that the WWII tail gunner mounted his GoPro for some nice POV gunner VLOGS! (JK... nice video, Cheers)!
May the crew of 9 o 9 Rest In Peace, so glad I flew on the 17 before she crashed so sad to see history burn up..
Awesome airplane! Personally my favorite is the B-17 but it’s big sister is just as cool!
My grandfather flew B24's in WW2, this was awesome to watch, thank you!
I'm so glad there are still people with the money and passion to keep those old planes in the air. My grandfather off loaded the bomb at the docks in Tinian which ultimately hit Hiroshima. That generation was exceptional.
That was awesome god bless all our troops past present and future
By no means disrespectful, but the closest people today will have to actually being a gunner is in Call of Duty: Big Red One Tunisia mission where you are a gunner and actually craw back and forth through the plane to both positions.
I certainly gained an appreciation of the sheer guts it took to get up there and stay in position so exposed with the enemy firing back at you.
PoxyBear join the Military
First flight video ever to bring tears to my eyes.
Dad was B-24 pilot. Joined at 17. Flew in WW2, the Pacific and also flew "intimidation runs" over Japan after the bomb was dropped. He and all his crew rode out a hurricane on Guam in the burial catacombs in the mountains as their tent housing was blown away. I rode in this plane a few years back in Detroit at the Yankee Air Museum show. The pilot did a fly-bye the tower at Metro Airport (DSW) about 100 feet off the deck. We could see the controllers in the tower at eye level from the waist gunner openings. When I asked dad why he wouldn't join me on the flight, his answer was classic...He said: "I don't ride in the back of the bus." One of the truly great guys. An electrical engineer, he also worked on a land based system for detecting far away objects (RADAR) and taught at Fenn College (Cleveland State) during the a "call back" to service.
My dad was a Captain/Navigator in a B-17 flying with the 350th. Amazing to see this flying.
One of the best recommendations I’ve ever got on TH-cam!
Thanks for watching!
I can't stop thinking of the terribles stories of fear, panic and pain suffered on board these airplanes during war.
I'm always amazed that people actually flew those machines into battle.
My grandfather was the captain of a B-24 in WWII. He survived 50 mission and was awarded the distinguished flying cross for his actions in Operation Tidal Wave over Polesti. Several years ago, before he passed, I took him to an air show and we toured the Witchcraft. Too be honest it brought up some bad memories for him, but many people saw his WWII veteran hat and shook his hand and thanked him. A bittersweet goodbye, and an experience I will never forget.
I normally hate music on this type of video. But you have used great music of the era.
It really compliments the whole thing.
Thankyou.
man, this video was an experience. Thanks for bringing history to life!
Thank you for sharing this! - Super interesting. Makes me want to work on getting my commercial ratting then go vintage.
I liked the narration by Steve O! It was different and awesome!
Nice plane and nice video!
I'm not American myself, but I am just in awe of what American soldiers had to endure during World War 2 (alongside other soldiers from other countries). But, i'd very proud as an American having American soldiers protect me every day. They got my love and respect.
My dad was a Pearl Harbor survivor and flew in B24's & 25's. He was the nose gunner at Midway and this video gave me the best sense of what that must have been like so thank you!
Is your dad with doolittle in the b-25 mitchell you said hes a nose gunner
Curious what the annual maintenance cost is on a aircraft like that? Just estimate. Also, their engineer looked pretty young. So awesome that he's involved. Far too many people in the up and coming generation have no interest at all in something this amazing. So sad, but so grateful it's still actively being shared.
That was a kick-ass video, felt like being on-board right there with you.
"so a duck walks into a bar, er, waddles- so a duck walks into to the bar and says to the bartender, 'can i have a creme de menthe' *engine failure*" - best war movie
Which movie is it?
@@KuroHebi Unbroken (2014)
Thanks! Back again to watch your excellent journey. I flew the same 1/2-hour flight in honor of my nose-gunner Dad and was shocked to find that nose-wheel still spinning when I passed by toward the front turret. I thought I might fall over against it and get thrown clear out the nose-gear doors! Unforgettable experience, still can't imagine it in actual combat.
The sacrifices that been made for this country our real and people today are so quick to forget thanks for sharing steveo