Model 1917 rifle what the heck ?

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I feel the same way about vehicles I let go. 2 Sunbeam Tigers, 3 Hillman Huskys, 3 AMXs, 4 VW split window buses. That's like over a couple hunnerd grand these day. More than the planes I've fluttered away. PAX

Speaking of airplanes and that B-25 on your Avatar, I was very saddened to hear about the crash of the B-17 "Nine-oh-Nine" and the loss of life aboard. I saw that Beauty up close several years ago and was able to climb around inside it. If I had the dough I would have flown in it without a second thought.

These are some photos that I took and thankfully saved:

[Enfield47]

That's great that you have photos from nine o nine. I've always wanted to fly in a B-17, they have been my favorite plane since I was a kid.

[echo1]

That's cool Bobby. It was sad.
I have some pictures of it too somewhere. When I got into video production I shot all the major airshows in Kali one year, and Reno. I've got some killer footage out of the nose of the B25 Heavenly Body and a Howard 250. PAX

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Regarding air shows, I had not been to one in some time I did attend the Chino Planes of Fame show in May of this year. The weather was nice and there were more warbirds (almost of them were airworthy and flown) than you could shake a stick at.

I am about halfway through the book that is the basis for the upcoming mini series that will be about the USAAF in WW2. I believe it is being done by the same folks that did Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

You will never find a more ironic situation than what life was like for those bomber crews and fighter pilots. One hand, their quality of life on base was great. Clean sheets, hot chow, liberty, pubs, unattached English ladies, etc.

On the other hand, they had a far less likelihood of surviving their tours of duty. For most of the war between 1943 - 1945, casualties were enormous. The book goes into great detail about high ranking officers who believed heavy bombers could survive daylight raids over German territory without fighter escorts. This was folly and it cost a lot of lives before they realized the need for long range escorts.

I have really threadjacked this thread, apologies!

[echo1]

Regarding air shows, I had not been to one in some time I did attend the Chino Planes of Fame show in May of this year. The weather was nice and there were more warbirds (almost of them were airworthy and flown) than you could shake a stick at.

I am about halfway through the book that is the basis for the upcoming mini series that will be about the USAAF in WW2. I believe it is being done by the same folks that did Band of Brothers and The Pacific.

You will never find a more ironic situation than what life was like for those bomber crews and fighter pilots. One hand, their quality of life on base was great. Clean sheets, hot chow, liberty, pubs, unattached English ladies, etc.

On the other hand, they had a far less likelihood of surviving their tours of duty. For most of the war between 1943 - 1945, casualties were enormous. The book goes into great detail about high ranking officers who believed heavy bombers could survive daylight raids over German territory without fighter escorts. This was folly and it cost a lot of lives before they realized the need for long range escorts.

I have really threadjacked this thread, apologies!

I was at Chino in March (a week before their flying wing augured in), the Legacy in Rexburg, the Bird in CDL, and the Heritage Air & Armor in Everett, within the last few months. The Legacy & Heritage had massive fire arm collections, with many 1917s (thread unjacked ) PAX

[HUTCH 7.62]

I have always been surprised by the poor casting of the P-14 receiver. Compared to the almost flawless 1917’s.