Xb-19

Thank you for the link, Nightshade! I've always been amazed at how that aircraft, along with the XB-15, continued to fly throughout the war, but were so unceremoniously scrapped soon after the war was over. It is too bad that the warbird movement didn't start until so long after the war.
 
I lived in Columbus Ohio during most of WW2. That is close to Dayton's Wright field and so I saw many unusual planes during that time. I saw the B-19 twice; it had been converted to the XB-19A configuration with Allison engines by then (probably late 1944). What I remember about it was it looked like it flew like a slow kite and it took forever to turn around. I think it took the entire city of Columbus to turn 180!

Paul
 
What I remember about it was it looked like it flew like a slow kite and it took forever to turn around. I think it took the entire city of Columbus to turn 180!
Paul
Paul, I had that same impression in 1972 when I first saw a C-5 Galaxy take off from NAS Cubi Point in the Philippines. Those big engines made an unpleasant droning sound and the plane slowly rose up from the runway like it was being levitated by a magician. Looked like it was gonna stall and crash in Subic Bay but it just kept goin' up. I know it's an old cliche' but I was amazed the thing could fly.
 
Same here! Ive never heard of this thing. Wild.....

I thought the Spruce Goose was the biggest bird of that era.

That rudder is massive...



I have seen the C-5's fly. They remind of me Zeppelins with wings. Looks like they are flying so slow that they are almost hovering, but the speed is actually there. Just out of scale visually.


If Battlestar Gallactica were in Atmo flying low over a city at 200 knots, it would look like it was hovering. :d (ok.. where did that come from???)




Bill
 
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