the BEACON Newspaper, Indiana Beacon Oct 2017 | Page 11

October 2017 THE BEACON Page 11

A Chance of a Lifetime- Flying in a B17 Flying Fortress

By Tamara M . Taylor

I get the opportunity to participate in a lot of really cool events , but this one takes the cake . As I sat waiting for a meeting to begin , I received an e-mail about a chance of a lifetime . An opportunity to take a flight in a fully restored B17 bomber . Really ?!! How could I pass that up ?

After immediately responding to the e-mail , reserve spots for Beacon reporter , Bob Sommer , and myself , I could barely contain my excitement .

The day of the flight finally came . I had been anxiously watching the weather forecast with the intensity of a farmer looking for that perfect window for harvesting . Fortunately , the weather did not interfere with the opportunity to fly in this piece of history . The day turned out to be sunny and one of the clearest days I have seen in our area . Prior to boarding the B17 , the group of ten passengers was briefed on the B17 , its history , and the fact there would be no peanuts served .

The Boeing B17 Flying Fortress is a strategic bomber designed in 1934 and put into production in 1937 . It is powered by four , nine-cylinder radial engines and has a standard fuel capacity of 1700 gallons . During wartime , extra tanks were added to the wings to boost fuel capacity to 3000 gallons . That was a lot of weight to account for sloshing around when banking the aircraft . The B17 burns 200 gallons of gas per hour and requires thirty-seven gallons of oil .

The B17 was designed with a Norden Bombsight which was considered top secret technology at the time . It was located in the nose of the plane and directly measured the plane ' s ground speed and direction which could only previously be calculated with lengthy in-flight procedures . Typically the B17 was flown at 30,000 feet which was conducive to the thenunprecedented accuracy of the Norden Bombsight for bombing from high altitudes . Each B17 pilot was instructed that should the plane go down , the Norden Bombsight was to be destroyed , thus preventing the enemy from getting its hands on the technology .

I learned a fascinating fact about a common colloquial phrase during our flight- the whole nine yards . A B17 has six machine gun locations- ball , chin , top , and tail turrets , and waist and cheek guns . Each was outfitted with five . 30 caliber ( 7.62 mm ) machine guns . A bandolier with loops for cartridges fed each machine gun . Guess what- the bandoliers were nine yards long . The term , " Give it the whole nine yards ," came to mean give it your all .

The B17 had a ten-year production span before falling victim to the advent of the jet age . Advancements in technology made the B17 virtually obsolete . Most were disassembled for scrap or sold on the surplus market .

The B17 Flying Fortress is a fully-restored World War II bomber used primarily in Europe .

Cables for the tail manipulation from the cockpit run down both sides of the plane and show the minimalistic design of the plane .

The B17 in which we flew is nicknamed the Aluminum Overcast and was put into service on May 18 , 1945 . While the plane never saw action in WWII , its history is still colorful . The Aluminum Overcast was purchased at a military surplus auction for only $ 750 in 1946 and has seen over a million miles of travel as a cargo hauler , an aerial mapping platform , and in pest control for chemical dusting on crops and forests .

In 1978 a group of investors decided to purchase the plane and restore it to its former glory . When they bought the airplane , most of the original military equipment had been removed . Over the years , these items have been located , restored and returned to Aluminum Overcast . As costs mounted for the maintenance and restoration of the plane , the group decided to donate the B17 to Experimental Aircraft Association which completed the restoration . These include the Norden bombsight , restoration of the navigator ' s position , installation of the waist guns located on each side of the plane , the rebuilding the radio compartment with original communications equipment , returning the airplane ' s floor to its original specifications ,

One of the bandoleers that fed a 30 caliber ( 7.62 mm ) machine gun in the waist of the plane .

installation of a complete tail turret assembly , and installation of a replica top turret just behind the pilot and co-pilot seats .

The EAA , a nonprofit organization , has a membership of 200,000 individuals who represent all aspects of aviation from mechanics to pilots . They are often referred to as the " keepers of the flame " and are dedicated to promote and support recreational flying . Their mission is to share the spirit of aviation with everyone .

Our flight that day wasn ' t the only once-in-a-lifetime event that we experienced . Taking the flight with us was Lieutenant Herb Heilbrun . Lt . Heilbrun was a pilot who flew a B17 aircraft in 35 missions and for over two hundred sixty-two hours . At the age of ninety-six , Lt . Heilbrun boarded the plane with the confidence and ease of a veteran pilot . He stood in the cockpit attentively watching the flight crew and the view as we flew at 1000 feet over the suburbs of Cincinnati .

Lt . Heilbrun once piloted a 7,075-mile , 41-hour flight from Lincoln to Foggia , Italy , via Newfoundland , the Azores , and North Africa . One of his many missions included flying his bombing group deep into

Nazi territory . To this day , Lt . Heilbrun is thankful for the Tuskegee Airmen who escorted his plane . The Red Tails as they were called were the 332nd Fighter Group who flew redtailed P-51s . I am sure that memories of that and many other missions were running through Lt . Heilbrun ' s mind while he stared out of the cockpit as he had done so many

The view from the nose turret and of the Norden Bombsight as we flew over Cincinnati .

Lieutenant Herb Heilbrun piloted a B17 for thirty-five missions in WWII .

times before .

Many thanks to Lt . Heilbrun for his dedication and service to our country . And to the EAA who made this flight possible for such a great war hero and many others .

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School is Back in Session

Summer is my favorite time of the year and it is hard to see it come to an end . I live for the warm weather , grilling out , and taking a trip or two with my wife . Summer vacations for families are ending and school is back in session . As I see students getting ready for back to school , it brings to mind the attitude of getting refocused and the commitment to learning .

This is the time of year when students hit the books again and replenish their appetite for learning new things . As this year progresses , let ’ s not just talk about our children gaining knowledge , I would like to suggest igniting the thirst for knowledge in all of us . I ’ m sure many of you enjoy the summer just as much as I do , but it ’ s time to get back to business and strive to further educate ourselves .

When my children were younger and preparing to go back to school , I found the excitement to be contagious and I took the time to get myself prepared too . I have

continued this tradition even beyond their formal school years . During this time of year , I reflect on what I have accomplished thus far and direct my focus and energy on my goals I want to

“ As this year progresses , let ’ s accomplish before the end not just talk about our children of the year . My children have gaining knowledge , I would like grown up and are finished to suggest igniting the thirst for with school , but with many knowledge in all of us .” of my team members having

— Roger Ford school-aged children , it ’ s good to see the atmosphere of refocusing and recommitment still alive and well .

Learning and self-improvement has been a lifelong commitment of mine . I ’ ve tried to instill this commitment in my children as well . When I graduated from the University of Cincinnati , I discovered that I had received a great foundation , but it was up to me to cultivate the knowledge and to continue to grow . I encourage you to invest in knowledge for yourself . After all , you are your

greatest asset and knowledge is powerful .

This is my challenge to you , take this opportunity to refocus and recommit to achieving your goals . What do you want to accomplish before the end of the year ? Is there something that you have put on hold during the summer , and now it is time to concentrate on it once again ?

I would be remiss if I didn ’ t pose a question or two about personal finance . Is it time to get serious about saving for retirement and sitting down with a professional to create an income plan , investment plan , tax plan , or legacy plan ? If you answered “ yes ,” do not procrastinate . Working with a professional to talk about your finances will assist you in reaching this year-end goal . Here ’ s to a renewed focus and making the rest of 2017 the year you gained new knowledge .

Conservative Financial Solutions | Roger L . Ford 10403 Harrison Ave . | Harrison , OH 45030 513.367.1113 | ConservativeFinancialSolutions . com

Roger Ford offers securities through Madison Avenue Securities , LLC ( MAS ), member FINRA / SIPC . Investment advisory services offered only by duly registered individuals through AE Wealth Management , LLC ( AEWM ), a Registered Investment Advisor . MAS and Conservative Financial Solutions are not affiliated companies . AEWM and Conservative Financial Solutions are not affiliated companies . Investing involves risk including the potential loss of principal . Insurance and annuity product guarantees are backed by the financial strength and claims-paying ability of the issuing insurance company . Neither the firm nor its agents or representatives may give tax or legal advice . Individuals should consult with a qualified professional for guidance before making any purchasing decisions . AW08173802

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