Flak Bait

ATCclears · Apr 28, 2020

This World War II Bomber Took More Enemy Fire Than Most Others and Always Came Home

Known for its memorable April 17, 1945 mission, the B26 bomber 'Flak-Bait' undergoes preservation at the National Air and Space Museum

www.smithsonianmag.com

RicInOR · Apr 28, 2020

Saw another article on that plane today too.
'Preserve' rather than 'restore' feels right to me.

Ura-Ki · Apr 28, 2020

The much vaunted "Widow Maker" or "Double Engined Casket" was actually one of the most advanced high performance light/medium bombers of the war, saddled with way more weight, armor, and technology then it needed, and yet it went on to become one of the best of the best! Neat design, and very potent!
It was also considered a very "Hot Ship" to handle by rookie pilots with only a few hundred hours of wing time and was responsible for killing many of its crews!

DID YA KNOW, Lionel Trains were responsible for the waste gunners ammunition feeding system? A very complex system for bringing ammo from the remote magazines located in the sealed aft bomb bay to the waist gunners positions, a technology used today on most high performance mil aircraft that are gun armed!

cigars · Apr 28, 2020

I remember seeing the restored Enola Gay at Air and Space in DC. It was partially disassembled to get it to fit inside. It was really amazing. I can only imagine how cool this will be when it's on display. It's not going to be restored but preserved, which means you will see the dirt and grime from its battle life in WW2.