Goodbye Yankee Lady

The Yankee Lady has taken to the skies from the Yankee Air Museum Michigan Flight Museum for the last time.

 

Bought by the museum in 1986 for $250,000 she was allegedly sold for somewhere in the range of $15 million.

She's heading off for an overhaul and then to the new owner apparently in California.
 

Sold, likely due to the costs involved in keeping her airworthy, and for the announced reason that it was due to the museum's over-reliance on the revenue from rides on the aircraft, which was affected whenever B-17s were grounded by the FAA, the museum decided to sell its centerpiece.  The museum, in a separate decision, also rebranded itself as the Michigan Flight Museum, bringing an end to the years of goodwill and recognition as the Yankee Air Museum.

The Yankee Lady has departed its home base Ypsilanti for the last time, and is off for an overhaul and then on to its new but currently undisclosed owner who is apparently in California.

B-17s Grounded

Due to an FAA Airworthiness Directive regarding a major safety issue with the wing spar of the aircraft, All B-17s are grounded until the inspection AD is complied with.

Flying:  FAA Grounds B-17s Through Airworthiness Directive

The AD requires an inspection of the wing spar, the cost of which is estimated at $38,700.

There are 18 B-17s on the US registry, with currently 3 in flying condition at the time of the AD, including the Yankee Air Museum's Yankee Lady. Sadly its already noticed up on the website that it will not be flying for the 2023 season.

We may have come to the beginning of the end of seeing these historic beasts of freedom airborne in the skies above us.

Two Airplanes And Crews Down In Airshow Collision

A terrible accident at the Commemorative Air Force’s Wings Over Dallas Show occurred yesterday.

Fox 4: Historic military planes collide in mid-air crash at Dallas Executive Airport

The B-17 Texas Raider, seen in better days above,  was lost with all on board.

The P-63 Kingcobra that struck the B-17 was also lost with its pilot.

Freom looking at the various videos of the collision, it looks like the P-63 deviated from its own airshow lane and crossed into the B-17's airshow lane and hit it behind the wing, severing the rear fuselage leading to both planes having uncontrolled crashes.   The NTSB investigation will probably provide more detail in time.

Given the angle of approach, The B-17 pilots most likely never saw it coming and had no chance to react, and had no chance at all to recover after the collision.

That makes six dead in a tragic accident, along with the loss of two irreplaceable historic aircraft.

B-17 Yankee Lady And Her Little Friends

The Yankee Air Museum's B-17G Yankee Lady took to the skies.

The rumble of her 4 engines filled the sky as made her passes along the show line.

 

The Yankee Lady was then joined by some little friend -  P-51 Mustangs flying escort.

The escorts protecting the bomber included Mad Max, Old Crow, Gentleman Jim and Cincinnati Miss

\

 

It's always thrilling to see and hear that many Mustangs maneuvering through the air.

TOM2018: The B17s

The Yankee Air Museum's Yankee Lady took to the skies as soon as the weather was decent to give rides, and then took a beak from giving rides and made some passes just for the airshow.

In addition to the Yankee Lady, The Commemorative Air Force had brought their own B17 to the show - Texas Raiders.

Both B-17s Did a simulated bombing run on the World War 2 reenactment that was taking place.

Some nice close shots as they both came in for landings. Yankee Lady then kept flying the rest of the day giving rides:

Classic WWII Bombers

Two Classic US Army Air Corps bombers graced the skies and flew at Thunder Over Michigan, both owned by the Yankee Air Museum.

The B-25:

The B-17:

Both were giving rides to the attendees for a reasonable (considering the operating and maintenance costs of these beautiful birds) fee. Maybe one day I'll fly in one, but if I'm paying that kind of coin, I want the co-pilots seat!

The B-17 Yankee Lady

The B-17G Yankee Lady in flight:

The B-17 dropped more bombs in World War 2 than any other US aircraft and helped win the war over Germany and against Japan.

If you were a German on the ground in the target zone and you saw this above you, you were about to have a bad day:

Leading the pack:

Of 12,731 B-17s produced, most were scrapped after the war, and only 10 B-17s remain in flying condition today.

Long may the Yankee Lady fly.

Rare Warbirds Of A Feather Fly Together

Yes, the P-38, P-51 and P-47 didn't take to the skies alone. They flew in formation together, alongside a B-17, in a sight few now living have beheld before. Click any photo to embiggen and get a taste of the experience.

Here the P-51 and P-47 fly close escort for the B-17.

A view from the front:

And Below:

Simply fantastic.