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B17 Fuddy Duddy at Van Nuys California

Well my friend Kev who lives right by Van Nuys took these shots of Fuddy Duddy last Sunday 24th April -she is standing in for Aluminum Overcast which had an accident with its landing gear at this very same airport . Seems the crew hit the gear retract switch instead of the flap retract switch – by accident of course .

Fuddy Duddy has her Landing Gear Switch above the front windows well out of the way of other switches

Anyone want the full size shots let me know .

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By: Der - 26th May 2005 at 22:24

No it wasn’t.
She was at Leuchars a while before that. I’ve got photos somewhere.

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By: Buddy Boy - 26th May 2005 at 19:43

We don’t get enough B-17 action here in Scotland – unless Sally B has been to East Fortune when I haven’t??

Daz – she came up to Leuchars in 2003. I recall them saying at the time that it was the first trip north of the border!

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By: Jules Horowitz - 26th May 2005 at 19:41

Anyone know how to get a schedule of her appearances? If she’s in Calif, maybe she’ll work her way east here to Colorado and we can see her if she stops….

Mark

Have you checked the Collings Foundation schedule, they may? come to your area during it’s tour of the country

I was invited to have a freebie ride in Aluminum Overcast when it passed through FL on its way to Wright Bros celebration awhile ago.

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By: Corsair166b - 25th May 2005 at 22:45

Was at the Fort Collins airport last summer when the Collings bombers came through for their stop…as the B-24 was getting set to take off to take some riders up, what should appear in the distant sky but a PB4Y of Hawkins and Powers, headed north from Denver to it’s base in Wyoming….what are the odds?

M

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By: ZRX61 - 25th May 2005 at 21:42

We actually had 2 B17’s on tour here (LA) at the same time this year, not sure it they hooked up at any point tho. Got buzzed by one coming home from work a couple of weeks back as it was heading into Fox Field (Lancaster). It wasn’t Fuddy as it had a red tail.

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By: geedee - 28th April 2005 at 16:41

Thanks mate, I intend to !!.

I’ve blown up a section of a cockpit shot I took in Fuddy Duddy and you can see that they’ve moved the undercart switch up on top of the dash. Looks like its got a half guard like the one in your piccies. Best place to put where both pilots can see whats happening. !

i add a couple of shots I took of the Douglas Built B17 which is the ex Bolivian B17 cp 891 – She is now at March Field in California – got to se her in January

Note the clip which gaurds the landing gear switch on the top right of the flat panel – to raise the gear you have to pull the clip up to flick the switch – amazing that such a little switch can control such a big gear . I definetely know that Lockheed made a modification on a similar type of gaurd on their B17’s produced in the War

Loved the shots Gary -liked your comment bout the plane rumbling on behind you !- hope you have fun at Oshkosh

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By: go4b17 - 28th April 2005 at 16:28

Fuddy Duddy and B17 Gear Switch

i add a couple of shots I took of the Douglas Built B17 which is the ex Bolivian B17 cp 891 – She is now at March Field in California – got to se her in January

Note the clip which gaurds the landing gear switch on the top right of the flat panel – to raise the gear you have to pull the clip up to flick the switch – amazing that such a little switch can control such a big gear . I definetely know that Lockheed made a modification on a similar type of gaurd on their B17’s produced in the War

Loved the shots Gary -liked your comment bout the plane rumbling on behind you !- hope you have fun at Oshkosh

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By: geedee - 28th April 2005 at 12:42

Lovely ‘plane.

Allready booked my ride at Oshkosh this year. Cant wait.

There’s something almost magical about sitting up front where the bombadier would sit looking out of that perspex with the rest of the plane rumbling along behind you. Truly an unforgetable experience !

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By: DGH - 27th April 2005 at 22:24

These things happen its the one bad design of the 17 cockpit was where the gear levers and flap levers are placed. That is why most 17 operators have moved the Gear switchs to the top panels.

Same on the DH Vampire and Venom as even some of the most experianced pilots have found to there cost!

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By: Yak 11 Fan - 27th April 2005 at 15:39

I had probably read Fuddy Duddy was coming but forgot about it. So it was a pleasant surprise to see it in Torrance a week ago….I only found out because it was on the newspaper on my friend’s table who lived nearby. Hadn’t seen it since 1989.

John

I flew into Torrance last year, great Chinese buffet just off the airfield plus an inter war biplane fighter being worked on by one of the hangers. Anyone know what the biplane was??

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By: go4b17 - 27th April 2005 at 13:47

EAA B17

mmmm , If memory serves me right thats what I recall being reported – was there not a report into this accident by the FAA ?

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By: JohnH - 27th April 2005 at 11:00

I had probably read Fuddy Duddy was coming but forgot about it. So it was a pleasant surprise to see it in Torrance a week ago….I only found out because it was on the newspaper on my friend’s table who lived nearby. Hadn’t seen it since 1989.

John

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By: crazymainer - 27th April 2005 at 04:05

GO4B17 you’re misinformed. The crew of Aluminum Overcast did not retract the gear on the ground. The airplane has squat switches that prevent this. The gear collapsed because it was not fully extended. This can be seen clearly on a video of the incident filmed from ground level. The entire weight of the aircraft was placed on the two gear extension jackscrews (rather than the main undercarriage) which snapped after landing.

Really now then how come AO was on roll out then, the last time I was inside a 17 when you were on roll out the gear was down. And yes I’ve seen the video and the plane settles rather quickly which means the gear switch was pulled if the jack screws had let go then it would have been a slower let down instead of the quick drop.

We can sit here and debate this all day long but the video from both the ground and from the air clearly show that AO settle quickly. These things happen its the one bad design of the 17 cockpit was where the gear levers and flap levers are placed. That is why most 17 operators have moved the Gear switchs to the top panels.

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By: gbwez1 - 27th April 2005 at 02:33

GO4B17 you’re misinformed. The crew of Aluminum Overcast did not retract the gear on the ground. The airplane has squat switches that prevent this. The gear collapsed because it was not fully extended. This can be seen clearly on a video of the incident filmed from ground level. The entire weight of the aircraft was placed on the two gear extension jackscrews (rather than the main undercarriage) which snapped after landing.

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By: Corsair166b - 26th April 2005 at 16:59

Mucho apprecianado…looks like June 24-26 are my dates…kewl…

M

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By: johndm1957 - 26th April 2005 at 16:55

Anyone know how to get a schedule of her appearances? If she’s in Calif, maybe she’ll work her way east here to Colorado and we can see her if she stops….

Mark

http://www.b17.org/tour/

regards

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By: Corsair166b - 26th April 2005 at 16:16

Anyone know how to get a schedule of her appearances? If she’s in Calif, maybe she’ll work her way east here to Colorado and we can see her if she stops….

Mark

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By: DazDaMan - 26th April 2005 at 15:05

Nice 🙂

We don’t get enough B-17 action here in Scotland – unless Sally B has been to East Fortune when I haven’t??

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