Can a Chinook airlift a B-29 in pieces?

[propsarebest]

They worked for MONTHS on it, spent well over a million on it.

 

[embpic1]

They worked for MONTHS on it, spent well over a million on it.

I actually read that it was a three year adventure. I am sure alot of that was preparation. I agree though that once they got the engines running there was a rush to get it flying. I mean was the crew even checked out in the B-29? Did they have any warbird experience at all (ie B-25 etc). I would think they would have gone to the CAF guys that fly FIFI and asked for help. Maybe have guys like Randy Sohn fly it out or at least supervise the flight.

Who knows. Maybe they all would have died had they got it off the ground and this was a blessing in disguise. Still pretty sad no matter how you look at it.

 

[DH106]

Good points. I highly doubt Daryl Greenameyer, who would have flown the thing out, was checked-out in CAF's B-29. Still, he probably had considerable warbird experience, given that he flew a reconstructed F-104 in the 1970's and had that rickety, ragged-out DH Caribou (big piston engines) as his project workhorse. So, he probably had some piston engine experience. He did test-flying for the SR-71 program back in the day, too.

But, his attitude and approach seemed hazardous and highly risky.

Their first round attempt failed, running out of time, experiencing bad weather, and with the death of his primary mechanic during the project.

Their second round attempt involved bringing in "professionals" who knew the B-29 (I think). For instance, I think the B-29 flight engineer they brought in was flying the CAF on their B-29. But, I've also heard from others that that flight engineer really wasn't that sharp... who knows... just going on what I heard.

 

[Richard Gozinya]

This is probably one of the most famous, but unknown shot of a chinook doing some work.

http://www.combatreform.org/chinookcarryingMI24hindunderslung.jpg

Dick

 

[DH106]

Wow... is that the only way the Russians could get their helicopter to fly?

 

[wolfpackpilot]

I got in thatMI 24 Hind and looked around it while it was at the Port waiting to get shipped back to Ft. Rucker... Hahaha... I remember it was blue inside.

The CH-47 was my girl. I logged well over a 1,500 hours as a crew chief in it. We picked up just about anything we could get the slings around. It is an amazing piece of engineering.

I miss helicopters.... a lot.


Wolf
2/159th... Flippers

 

[LegacyDriver]

We had a Chinook try to lift a PBY out of Harlingen, TX one time. Blew out the transmission in the helo. I've never seen a helicopter land so fast. It was over 100 degrees F and I think the hull of the Catalina was full of water--which probably didn't help.

 

[Richard Gozinya]

Wow... is that the only way the Russians could get their helicopter to fly?

Our boys went in to Africa to fly it out, this is the picture of them bringing it out. The aircraft is at Mother Rucker now from what I hear.

Dick

 

[wingnutt]

so, did they ever get it out?

 

[kingairyahoo]

mmmmmmmm...chithooks