Bill Westphal's Photo Gallery

This Website and it's Contents © 2006-2009 Bill Westphal. Contact bill@westphalfamily.com for Right-To-Use or Print information.


Home :: Login
Album list :: Last uploads :: Last comments :: Most viewed :: Top rated :: My Favorites :: Search

Home > User galleries > wb6ypf > B-17 Ride

TITLE  +   - 
FILE NAME  +   - 
DATE  +   - 
POSITION  +   - 
b17_5.jpg
2108 viewsMe at one of the Waist Gunners position
b17_2.jpg
2253 viewsI was trying to re-create a photo that I have of my Father, Bob Westphal, in front of the nose of a B-17 in Europe during WWII. He was a Tech Sargent and repaired the radios in the planes. I hope to scan an image of that photo and place it here soon.
b17_9.jpg
1942 viewsThe radio looked so simple. No "bells and whistles". It must have been tough sending CW (morse code) while they were in flight. It was pretty bumpy.
b17_8.jpg
2171 viewsMy Father-In-Law Ron Hanke at the Radio Operators position.
b17_6.jpg
2016 viewsView from the Bombardier's Position. It was really neat sitting in the chair up there.
b17_7.jpg
30 Seconds Over Hollywood2246 viewsView from the right Waist Gunners position as we flew over Hollywood. The Hollywood Sign can be seen in the distance.
dadb17web.jpg
Bob Westphal2397 viewsThis is the photo I was trying to recreate. As you can see i didn't get it exactly right. This is my Dad in front of a B-17 in Europe.
Thanks to the wealth of information available on the Internet, I found out that "WALLAROO" was part of the 303rd Bomber Group and flew 35 Combat Missions before being shot down Jan 14, 1944.
Glad my Dad wasn't on it.
b17_12.jpg
Looking Back2296 viewsThis was the view looking back from the opening just behind the cockpit. It was like sticking your head out of a convertible going 165 MPH.
b17_4.jpg
Me And My Shadow2053 viewsWe took off to the South and then turned West. As we banked in the turn, over the Los Feliz area I believe, you could see our shadow on the ground below.
b17_1.jpg
Nine-O-Nine2153 viewsNine-O-Nine is Maintained and operated by the Collings Foundation
http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm and she was in pretty nice shape. I beleive this is a B-17G model. The Collings Foundation is a Non-Profit Group so the cost of our ride was Tax Deductible. This was a Birthday Present for My Father-In-Law. Of course I HAD to go along. We flew out of the Burbank Airport.
b_17_3.jpg
Ready For Takeoff2052 viewsAll strapped in (except me) and ready to go. We were about to taxi out to the runway.
b17_10.jpg
Tight Squeeze2223 viewsThis is looking forward from the Radio Room through the Bomb Bay. You had to walk through here to get to the front of the plane.
13 files on 2 page(s) 1