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Commemorative Fly By - Leviset - 02-21-2019 11:19 PM
Tomorrow morning at 08:45 there will be a fly by of a mixture of 10 USAF & RAF vintage planes in the sky above Endcliffe Park in Sheffield to commemorate the 10 WW2 USAF airman who all gave their lives when they ditched their crippled B-17G Flying Fortress into the trees on February 22nd 1944, 500 yards from where I live, to avoid mowing down a bunch of 8 year old boys playing football on the only possible field that they might have tried to land on. The plane was “Mi Amigo” and one of those boys has made it his life’s work to tend and look after the memorial that stands in the Park. He’s there every day when we walk our ancient dog and tomorrow whilst commemorating the 75th Anniversary of this heroic crash, it is also a big thank you from both the USAF & the remaining relatives of the crew of Mi Amigo for Tony’s lifetime of care and remembrance of the site.
I will be attending wearing my Father’s original RAF Flying Jacket, complete with his Mentioned in Despatches Oak Leaf awarded to him in 1944.
The fully story
https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/the-full-list-of-aircraft-taking-part-in-mi-amigo-memorial-flypast-over-endcliffe-park-in-sheffield-1-9608799
Dennis
RE: Commemorative Fly By - rprosperi - 02-21-2019 11:30 PM
Thanks for sharing this Denny, it's a great, albeit somber, story all around.
Please take some photos of the planes in the flyover, especially WWII planes, my passion since I was about 5 years old.
And pass along a 'thank you' to Tony for preserving the memorial site for so many years. It's important for folks to remember such sacrifices, and it's selfless acts like his that make it possible.
RE: Commemorative Fly By - Leviset - 02-22-2019 11:47 AM
Well there were thousands in the park and a great fly past of 10 planes. The oldest a Dakota, 2 modern RAF Typhoons, 4 vintage USAF F17s with one spinning away leaving 3 in what's called 'missing man' formation, flying super-tanker refuelling plane, a mechanical vertical takeoff Osprey I've never seen before.
The best footage I’ve found so far is here:-
https://mobile.twitter.com/BBCBreakfast/status/1098869439515295744
But there are more already on YouTube and the BBC will have probably some of the best footage online later.
RE: Commemorative Fly By - KeithB - 02-22-2019 05:19 PM
I see Osprey's all the time as they leave Kirtland AFB. They certainly sound different than a typical turboprop like the Hercules' that take off all the time, too.
It is amazing to watch them take off and transition from vertical to horizontal mode.
RE: Commemorative Fly By - KeithB - 02-22-2019 05:34 PM
(02-21-2019 11:30 PM)rprosperi Wrote: Thanks for sharing this Denny, it's a great, albeit somber, story all around.
Please take some photos of the planes in the flyover, especially WWII planes, my passion since I was about 5 years old.
And pass along a 'thank you' to Tony for preserving the memorial site for so many years. It's important for folks to remember such sacrifices, and it's selfless acts like his that make it possible.
I don't you know where you are but if you are near Palm Springs during memorial day, they always have a flower drop.
https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/programs/memorial-day-flower-drop-air-fair/
RE: Commemorative Fly By - rprosperi - 02-22-2019 08:05 PM
(02-22-2019 05:34 PM)KeithB Wrote: I don't you know where you are but if you are near Palm Springs during memorial day, they always have a flower drop.
https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/programs/memorial-day-flower-drop-air-fair/
I've been to the Palm Springs Museum in many years, it's grown considerably since I visited when it was just starting; Early 90's?
I have heard of the flower drop, but never seen it. Great photos, especially the moment of 'bomb' release from the B-25. Thanks for sharing these!
RE: Commemorative Fly By - KeithB - 02-22-2019 08:46 PM
The flyby made it to Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Mi_Amigo%22_memorial
The planes that did the missing man were F-15 Strike Eagles. You might say they are vintage, but they are the mainstay of the current stockpile.
I have been up close to a Strike Eagle - very impressive.
RE: Commemorative Fly By - Leviset - 02-23-2019 11:10 PM
I’ve been inside a fully operational Vulcan bomber (only on the ground unfortunately) in the mid 60s when I was in the RAF CCF Cadets as a teenager at the Boy’s Grammar School I attended for 6 years. (me not the Vulcan). Every month at the weekend we were taken to RAF Cosford (near Wolverhampton in UK) where the off duty pilots took us up in 2 seater de Havilland Chipmunks - I still remember waddling out as we wore parachutes that you sat on. As a bold 15 year old I once asked the pilot (whilst in the air) if this little training plane could do aerobatics..... Oh Dear, I’ve never found a theme park ride yet to match that day!
On a final more somber note I was at the Coventry Air Show In 1988 with my wife and 2 children when a 1950’s Meteor crashed into a ball of flames.
Another heroic story of Flight Lieutenant Peter Stacey nose diving it into the only patch of unoccupied land in the middle of a large Council Estate after it developed complete engine failure.
https://r3uk.com/index.php/blog/156-last-flight-of-wf791-21-years-on
RE: Commemorative Fly By - pier4r - 02-23-2019 11:58 PM
(02-22-2019 08:46 PM)KeithB Wrote: The flyby made it to Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Mi_Amigo%22_memorial
The planes that did the missing man were F-15 Strike Eagles. You might say they are vintage, but they are the mainstay of the current stockpile.
I have been up close to a Strike Eagle - very impressive.
It was interesting, thanks! And yes the wiki is there also for those information!
RE: Commemorative Fly By - Leviset - 02-25-2019 12:14 AM
I think I called the F-15 vintage cf to the amazing US Stealth Bomber - does it use a Romulan Cloaking Device or the Harry Potter one!!
RE: Commemorative Fly By - KeithB - 02-25-2019 12:22 AM
Since I have touched both, I can say that the B2 is perfectly visible on the ground. 8^)
But the running lights are in little pop-up turrets so they can completely retract into the airframe.
RE: Commemorative Fly By - rprosperi - 02-25-2019 01:33 AM
I've been lucky enough to see and touch most of the planes mentioned here, and even climb into many of them, but never lucky enough to get into a Vulcan or touch a B-2. So, officially jealous of both of you.
On the B-2, those running light pop-up turrets go for what, about $80,000/ea.? But I'll bet they're really well-made turrets. Still, worth it. Any magic that can make something that large have a radar section of a bird gets my support, even at those prices.
RE: Commemorative Fly By - BruceH - 02-28-2019 06:22 PM
My claim to fame is that I've jacked up a Vulcan. Again school cadets on camp at RAF Waddington. Just enough to get the wheels an inch off the ground but it still took a while. (I can see why the mechanics wanted us as cheap labour!)