While she was at Riverton Airport we got some nice pictures--many of these B-17's are crashed and still in Wyoming Mountains
Probably the most unique accident in Graham County history occurred at 4:30 p.m. on February 2, 1943, when a B-17 bomber on a routine training flight from Casper, Wyoming, to Oklahoma City crashed and exploded in a pasture seven miles north and one mile east of Bogue.
Though a standard crew of a B-17 was ten, it was later reported that there were eleven men aboard, all of whom were killed. Carl McKissen was an eyewitness to the crash. He saw the plane as it broke through the low overhanging clouds, saw it circle once, then watched it strike the ground in his father's pasture and explode.
Lee M. Holmes, then sheriff of Graham County, who arrived soon after the crash, said the plane plowed a ditch five to six feet deep, ten feet wide, and around one hundred feet long. Wreckage was strewn over a fifteen to twenty acre area.
The B-17 was perhaps the most famous of World War II aircraft, second in size only to the B-29. The wingspan of the Flying Fortress was 104 feet, with a length of 75 feet and a height of 19 feet. The gross weight of the B-17 was 65,000 pounds. The fuel tanks held 2,780 gallons. When the plane crashed, it still had half of its fuel aboard.
Members of the local branch of the American Legion guarded the wreckage through the night of February 2-3, until Army Lt. Eaton and an emergency squad from Walker Air Base arrived. Parts of the bodies of the crew were collected in bushel baskets and brought to the Cutting Undertaking Parlor, where they were held for Army officials.
There are many theories about how and why the B-17 crashed. Lt. Eaton thought that ice forming on the plane caused it to go out of control and lose altitude. An army pilot with Lt. Eaton at the crash site said he had been forced to make an emergency landing the same afternoon because ice had formed on his wings.
Another theory involves the problem of cooperation between the pilot and co-pilot of the B-17. The idea was that when the plane dropped beneath the clouds, the pilot went to Instrument Flight Rules and the co-pilot went to Visual Flight Rules and was supposed to watch out for obstacles in the flight path. The pilot may have neglected his altitude observations for a moment and the co-pilot's warning came too late.
Carl McKissen said that he could hear the engines surge in power just before the crash; it can be assumed the pilot tried to pull up before they crashed. The plane crashed somewhere between the gliding speed of 120 mph and its 250 mph cruising speed.
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The Memphis Belle is one of the most famous B-17 Aircraft of World War II. Built by Boeing Aircraft Company in 1941. The Memphis Belle was among the first B-17s to complete its quota of 25 missions over Nazi occupied territory without a member of its crew being killed and was the very first B-17 to complete those 25 missions and return to the United States.
Another Crash was near Dubois below Bommer Lake,on Torrey Creek---another in the Big Horn mountains---I've been to the Torry Creek crash,the plane hit the top of the falls and was spread over 100 yards--most of these planes are still there today.
love the sng what is the name of song:D
SEETER1 1 year ago
@SEETER1 ---
Asteroid 2 1:54 Nick Ingman (PRS) / Terry Devine-King (PRS) Dark orchestral. No choir Release Year 2009
Factoid
Recorded at Abbey Road Studios, London with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Crouch End Festival Chorus. February 2009
windrivercountrykid 1 year ago
@windrivercountrykid Ive had trouble finding this song, so its called Asteroid 2 or something? Im Confused where could i find it?
Corruption585 11 months ago
@Corruption585 Asteroid
artist: Nick Ingman, Terry Devine-King
album: ANW1392 - Blockbuster Movie Trailers
length: 3:06
label: Audio Network plc
genre: Soundtrack
windrivercountrykid 10 months ago
What a beautiful plane...over 50% of these planes didn't make it back to the bases. But they sure did some damage. It took 11 people to operate these planes at once...
My Grandfather flew over 50 missions in his B 17 G (named the SNAFU MAN), and is still here today (just turned 90). We need to remember, honor and thank these men and women
joedirt1970 1 year ago 4
@joedirt1970--- Very well said Joedirt,all your comments!!--Thanks for reminding us to say thanks and remembering those brave men!!!
windrivercountrykid 1 year ago