35th Annual B17 Gathering - Great flights and Big Crashes

[@ChainsawFPV]

That second crash was heart breaking. Its one thing to smash a foamy, that's kind of fun. But its an entirely different thing to crash a hand built bird of that size that took at least a year to build. Yes, crashing comes with flying, but its never fun when it happens to you.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

100% Agree!!! Thanks for commenting and for watching!!!

[@sv4stampe]

Unfortunate crash but pilot error.@@TheTravelingTechGuy

[@mikeryan6277]

@@sv4stampeairspeed is life

[@johndd8186]

Lead sled.

[@terrencejackson4587]

Mad props for those that chose a runway landing over the grass. True pilot skill.

[@AphexTwinII]

Runway landings are easy, just have to know how to fly what you brought first.

[@Coops777]

The last one looks difficult to fly. It appears like the elevator is very 'touchy' as the plane got into a small pilot induced oscillation during the round-out part of the landing, before crashing. (I've seen tail heavy models fly like this.) Pausing the video, it appears the nose got too high and critical AOA was exceeded. Despite a last ditch effort to increase power, nothing was going to save it from here. Terribly brutal crash for, no doubt, a very proud owner of what was a beautiful model.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Yes it was a beautiful model. Thanks for commenting and for watching!!!

[@skooter2767k]

You guys sure know how to demonstrate Vmc roll. I’m always amazed how many RC pilots have no clue about how airplanes fly and basic aerodynamics

[@jme104]

Knowing that's model aviation would be a plus .

[@coolfly7956]

Good job on the video!! I was under the awning when that last bomber crashed. You could feel it when it hit...

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Thanks!

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

@alwaysflying6540 You might want to get your eyes checked.... It landed at my feet and, I would make for one ugly girl! lol

[@sherwinsalvatori6997]

You guys fooled me again. Thinking they were the real deal😂

[@flyingfortressrc1794]

Those crashes were heartbreaking to watch.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Agreed! Thanks for your comment and for watching!!!

[@AphexTwinII]

Maybe call it the "Worst Pilots Gathering"

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

lol

[@cummins12valve57]

Cool warbirds. The bombers were a wing and a pray the whole time.

[@klesmer]

Wow that really hurts. And it wasn't even my airplane.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Yep, me too!

[@michaelmeyers3664]

​@@TheTravelingTechGuy where is this location???

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

@@michaelmeyers3664 Monaville, Texas at Bomber Field.

[@michaelmeyers3664]

@@TheTravelingTechGuy Thank You for getting back with me, take care God Bless!

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

@@michaelmeyers3664 my pleasure!

[@moler1964]

I knew Milk wagon was goin down right after take off!!!!!

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Inquiring minds want to know.... How did you know? :)

[@moler1964]

@@TheTravelingTechGuy First was the oscillation of elevator control. Excessive speed coupled with that was doomsday in spades!!!!

[@tennriverluver3534]

Looks expensive for a couple of people😥

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Very!

[@skipstalforce]

Wow, did he get in trouble quik. THe honda CT 70 crash vehecle was cool too.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

The Honda was pretty cool!

[@kedelbach]

I was standing 5' away from the pilot of the Merlin-motored replica during the entire (maiden) flight. Required a LOT of trimming by a co-pilot, and looked to me like it was tail heavy coupled with a very steep/late landing approach. Don't know why a practice run or two for the landing wasn't done first. The co-pilot of the silver and yellow B-17 that crashed just before it took over controls in a desperate attempt to bring it home, but too late.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Thanks for the info!

[@potrzebieneuman4702]

it looked to me like the pilot tried to stretch the landing to get onto the strip. It was hammered into me when I learned to fly sailplanes to NEVER try to stretch the glide out, always convert whatever height you have to speed and THEN try to make the landing. Shame to see it plough into the ground.

[@markdavis7397]

I have crashed plenty of RC planes, but that didn't look normal. Something wrong with the plane.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

I'm hearing it was possibly tail heavy? Don't know for sure....

[@alexmcmeekin2658]

Second B17 crash was pilot error I'm afraid. Landing was downwind according to the earlier indication. The model was also prone to tip stalling, an initial stall to the left was corrected and caused another more catastrophic stall to the right. All 4 engines appeared to be running at time of crash. First B17 crash was also error on the part of the pilot although they made valiant attempts to save it. The problem there was poor stability under low power causing oscillations in pitch. Lack of power made a return to the field difficult to achieve because of that, and the pilot should perhaps have opted for a short landing as safely as they could rather than stretch it to the field. That's always a difficult decision though. Not offering the above as criticism, just analysis. Almost all crashes are pilot error. Been there, done that myself, got the T-shirt etc.....

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Thanks for commenting and for watching!!!

[@txkflier]

1. It wasn’t a B-17; it was an XB-38. 2. It was tail heavy and was still trying to climb with full down trim.

[@alexmcmeekin2658]

@@txkflier Fair enough. The video description says B17 and the quality isn't really good enough to see the engine nacelles. Tail heavy=poor stability. That does beg the question though of why fly at a big/public event with an untested airframe? Unless there was a singular fault that caused the tail heaviness such as a loose ballast piece?

[@txkflier]

@@alexmcmeekin2658 I don’t know if it was a maiden flight. I agree that maiden flights shouldn’t be performed at fly-ins.

[@alexmcmeekin2658]

@@txkflier Realised that I've been a model flier for 45 years just now when thinking back........ I've seen some shocking examples of poor flying, poorly built models being flown, and the occasional maiden at flying shows and fly-ins here in the UK over those years. It's actually far better now after a couple of tragic but avoidable deaths years back when some certification and testing came in for flying shows. In the dim and distant past I have flight-line directed public access fly-ins, and made sure I was very clear at pilot briefing about flying standards and model integrity!

[@joakimlindblom8256]

Very well filmed video. Really sad seeing the crash of the B17 at the end. Anyone know or talked to the pilot about what caused the loss of control? It looked like it might have been a wind gust followed by an over correction in attempting to keep alignment with the direction of the airstrip, but hard to be sure from the video. Things happen so fast with scale models that one false move when on final can easily spell disaster:( (Edit: punctuation)

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Sounded like a couple of engines cut out as he was coming for a landing and just didn't have enough forward momentum to prevent the stall.

[@joakimlindblom8256]

@@TheTravelingTechGuy Thanks - that would explain it, particularly if the resulting thrust was asymmetrical approaching stall speed (multi-engines can be a bear). I rewatched to see if I could tell which engines may have quit, but resolution isn't quite high enough to see stopped propellers. A real shame as it was a beautiful airplane (i've rebuilt built seemingly hopeless cases in my day, but this one looks too far gone -- hopefully engines, avionics and some sections can be re-used for a new build).

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

That's the way I look at it when one of mine, meets with gravity... I have spare parts! lol

[@txkflier]

Tail heavy..

[@carlhull8276]

What power to weight ratio do small biplanes have?

[@Craig52-zq1bt]

Did ANYONE ever notice that American flag is protected by rifles?

[@halmc8109]

CAUTION! This video features toy airplanes. There are many other channels dealing with actual warbirds.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Something wrong with RC model airplanes?

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

@@halmc8109 That's about the right time to get into building and flying model airplanes. It's a hobby like any other hobby. Some like restoring and playing with cars, motorcycles or boats. Some, prefer building and flying model planes. That's what is great about our country! We all get to be different. Thanks for the comment and for watching!!!

[@gogogeedus]

Yes but when they crash the pilot doesn't get to laugh about it to his mates at the field.

[@miltonbaltimore]

You said that was your first birthday 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂🎉🎉😂😂

[@wallywally8282]

Some of these toy plane drivers shouldn’t be flying a kite😂

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

lol

[@gogogeedus]

that's true and that why their not.

[@shelleibach20]

Excellent video..lots of takeoffs and landings and not a bunch flying in a circle.....tks much great video

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Thank you for the kind words and for watching!!!

[@emanuelmota7217]

That final crash was worth the wait. btw - really do NOT need the background music.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Thanks for the comment and for watching!!!

[@michaelmcgovern8110]

Than you all for being BRAVE enough to fly the things you pour yourselves into!!!

[@txkflier]

The “2nd B-17” that crashed wasn’t a B-17. It was a model of the XB-38 which had Allison V-1710 engines. Only two prototypes were built. The model was tail heavy and was landing with a crosswind. They had added 3-1/2 lbs in the nose, but even with full down trim, it still wanted to climb.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Thanks for the info!

[@kedelbach]

with the motors sticking out so much further than a normal B-17 I'm surprised they had to add so much nose weight.

[@DennisBraspenninx]

Love the sound of a fuel burner as it goes by.

[@saito125]

I watched the last B-17 part a few times in sllo-mo and didn't see any stopped engines. Maybe one or more went to idle speed. Anyways it stalled and the rest is history.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Sounded like it dropped to idle then, when throttle was applied, only one, maybe two engines, responded. Still sad to see the loss of a beautiful bird. Thanks for the comment and for watching!!!

[@txkflier]

It was an XB-38 and was tail heavy.

[@heikoroso9682]

Hahahahahahahahahahaha 😂😄🤣👍👏👏👏

[@abundantYOUniverse]

Loved it thanks!

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Much appreciated and thanks for watching!!!

[@ohiorc5586]

That’s serious carnage I hope I don’t crash my balsas I’m so sorry for your loss man that’s a piece of art

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Hope you have many awesome flights. Thanks for watching!!!

[@davidcollins7826]

I never knew B-17s flew at 600 mph :)

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

lol

[@poggergen1937]

RC models always fly at a faster scale speed than their real life counterparts 😊

[@dhouse-d5l]

That Stearman is beautiful.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

100% agree!!!

[@poggergen1937]

I remember bomber field. I went there back in 2017 and saw the very same P-63 that collided with a B-17 flying just a few years before they went down. Heartbreaking.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

I was there also when the P-63 performed a Flyby at Bomber Field! Thanks for the comment and for watching!!!

[@pilotoleng6357]

❤❤❤❤ from Indonesia

[@jimmyhaley727]

need louder music!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

lol

[@dragonmeddler2152]

I think it was the initial burst of RPM in the flair that started the crash and definitely the second full throttle took it home. So sorry this work of art was lost. Did the wind come up before the big bombers were launched? Seems the bipes all flew and landed smoothly (a rarity) and the heavies were all over the place. Beautiful RC landing strip facility, I should say.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

The wind hadn't picked up yet. It did about 35 minutes later with a heavy downpour. Bomber Field is a very nice facility. Thanks for commenting and for watching!!!

[@phippsa3]

That was a bad day for B-17's

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Agreed!

[@RubyS.1]

Dang that sucks.

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

Big time! Thanks for commenting and watching!!!

[@jeffs7915]

Nailed that landing!

[@TheTravelingTechGuy]

lol

[@88mike42]

Skip to 9:42 for one of the best crack ups on U tube.