Wow, I couldn't believe what just flew over

[Lee Schierer]

We just had a B-24 Liberator fly over the building I work in in Erie, PA. At first I thought it was the big lawn mower they use to mow our lawn outside my window, but when it got a bit closer, it didn’t sound right for the lawn mower. I could see the four engines and twin tails clearly. It was straight over head so I couldn’t see the marking clearly. It looked like it was landing at the Erie airport.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Maxwell_B-24.jpg/300px-Maxwell_B-24.jpg

[David Weaver]

Either there's an airshow, or maybe your airport is a fuel stop.

Fuel costs for going to airshows in planes that probably burn 60 an hour per engine have to just be astronomical.

Fifi was here a long time ago, and we each spent $5 to stick our heads up in it and look around, and people were streaming into it all day. I recall the guy who was taking the money saying something along the lines of the money collected pays for "some" of the costs to get the plane from place to place.

[Joe Angrisani]

They sure sound like nothing else, be it a B-24 or B-17, both of which I've seen flying a few times over the years (mostly at airshows). Always makes me "look up" when I hear that rumble. A few years back we were camping/sailing on Lake George in upstate NY when I heard "it". Told my wife it was something special, and sure enough, as we ran down to the dock a B-17 came shooting over the trees about 500' up. We were treated to multiple passes that day as the plane was flying paid passengers from an airshow at the local field. Nothing sounds like 'em, and nothing has the broad, stubby wing shape of the B-17. Though I do like 'em all.

Could you make out the color? If she was silver, it was probably Witchcraft....
195246

If she was olive drab, it was probably Diamond Lil....
195245

[Joe Angrisani]

Witchcraft is currently touring in California, so she's out.

It was Diamond Lil, who is now repainted as her original name/scheme, Ol' 927. She is on her way to Washington, DC, for a Joint Services open house at Andrews Air Force Base, today through Sunday. Next weekend she'll be in Farmingdale, NY, at the American Airpower Museum. This is Ol' 927's webpage: http://www.cafb29b24.org/our-planes/history-of-our-ol-927.html

[David Weaver]

I believe diamond lil was the b-24 that was at Reading when I saw fifi. I think it was closed up every time I walked by, but sitting next to fifi is probably bad for your cash tourist receipts in any given day (same group, CAF, anyway). The b24 sure sat low and stubby compared to the B17s (which were in a different part of the park). I think fuddy duddy was the only 17 we went through.

That was the only time I've ever seen a b-24 in person. There were several b17s there each year, at least one each year giving rides throughout the day for, i think, $100 per passenger. There was also an F18 giving rides one year - for $10,000. No thanks!! It didn't go up too many times, but at least one local personal injury lawyer apparently went up in it.

Maybe the most surprising thing is that while those planes are fairly large, even fifi, they are not very big compared to much of anything you see flying around now.

[Dave Gaul]

I would bet that plane is flying in for the WWII airshow coming up in a couple weeks, held in Reading, PA at the Reading Airport... awesome you got to see it flying over you!

[Joe Angrisani]

I would bet that plane is flying in for the WWII airshow coming up in a couple weeks, held in Reading, PA at the Reading Airport... awesome you got to see it flying over you!

And you would win that bet. Thursday, June 2nd through Sunday, June 5th at the Mid Atlantic Air Museum in Reading.