The final four shall gather no more.

[Lone Eagle 839]

With all the "news" lately, this got lost in the shuffle. Back in April, the final four Doolittle Raiders gathered for the final time.

 

http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20130421/NEWS/304210004/Doolittle-Raiders-gather-final-reunion

 

Never forget their sacrifice, or their bravery. They were the greatest generation.

[Voltia 375]

I did read about that. Amazingly crazy operation which really worked.

[MT Predator 2,294]

Ironic they had the reunion here this year and we happened to be revamping one of the practice ranges they used called Little Tokyo. We were on the range when the B-25s came cruising over low and slow as the reminisced. One of the Auxiliary Airfields they used still has white paint lines depicting the carrier length. It is still in use.

[jerry52 893]

The great thing is IMO we still have men like the 4 serving today

[Ronin38 2,117]

I got to see them last year at the 70th Anniversary Reunion in Dayton, OH last year! About 20 B-25's all gathered together and did a few passes over the AF Museum at WPAFB. I couldn't get their autographs, there was a HUGE crowd around them the entire time.

 

Here is a video of it, my apologies for the shaky picture, it's from my cell phone. If you have good speakers, turn it up! The sound came out great!

(The little girl's voice at the beginning is priceless! haha)

 

[BigChongus 765]

My parents have a dresser set that they purchased from one of the raiders a long time ago. Don't know which one it was.

[scoutjoe 276]

Its amazing to hear the old warbirds fly over and listen to the power of the engines, see them cruising along. Amazing story about the raid I loved reading some of the accounts.

 

Got to see a B-17 appear low over a ridge back home when it was in town for an airshow, definately cool. Haven't seen a Mitchell in flight yet though.

[Bigtwin 219]

Love the sound of those engines!

[unclejake 428]

My favorite planes are the WWII era ones. Those great fighters and bombers have no equals!

[Voltia 375]

Those planes remind me of muscle cars. No computers, no turbines, just big engines and power.

[Lone Eagle 839]

My favorite planes are the WWII era ones. Those great fighters and bombers have no equals!

Yep. My three favorite fighters are the P51D Mustang, the P-38 Lightning, and the Messerschmidt ME-109-C. I knew a guy years ago as a kid who had a fully restored 109C complete with the armament(adapted for blank firing only, but still cool as hell to hear the 30mm cannon rattling off). He was a "flying chaplain" who did prison ministry, and flew in the 109 when he went. When he passed, his son donated it to an air museum somewhere in the NE IIRC.

 

I actually got to ride in a B17 at an air show as a kid, and rode for a bit in the belly turret. Those guys who operated that position must have had balls of steel. Once you were in, you were locked in until someone let you out. The whole "ride" lasted 30 minutes, and you actually got to fire the 50 cals(blanks, of course) in the waist position. I still remember not only hearing the engines, but feeling those 4 engines rattling the entire plane.