Air Tanker PB4Y-2 Privateers

[@Auggies1956]

I'm glad to see these retired bombers showing up in the war bird community. Thanks for the video.

[@michaelquillen2679]

I have pictures of Tanker 123 at her home base of Greybull, Wyoming. Sad that she met her demise, but a wake up call that the Privateer was never designed to go as long as she did. RIP good crew of the 123.

[@zachboyd4749]

“Here’s to the last flight of 123. The bravest of fliers, their spirits be free. Down from the battle, they’ll fight nevermore. Now up with the angels in heaven, they’ll soar.”

[@TheDeJureTour]

Great footage! Ramona, CA 1993-95, tanker 123 I was about 12 when I first saw it. Totally awesome!

[@airailimages]

Thanks for watching. Glad the video brought back memories.

[@ChiefAUS]

At about 0:30 I remember the Wenatchee fire. I was working the ramp at BIFC(now NIFC). That was a great summer. Thanks for the memory.

[@airailimages]

That was a remarkable time to find all kinds of World War II aircraft serving as fire bombers.

[@MarsAveSo]

Thank you for keeping the music to a low volume as you did, when it was added to the clip...I prefer no music at all, but low vol is best if you have to add it. Great prop footage...

[@airailimages]

We have evolved our productions over the years; might have used even less music if we made this today. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@firepilotfilson3881]

I flew all of Hawkins & Powers PB4y-2’s including tanker 126, 123, 124, 121, 127 and then Tankers 139 &140 which became Neptune aviation’s tanker 44 and 45. I also flew H&P’s 130 that had the 😢catastrophic wing failure, the men lost were my friends

[@airailimages]

Wow! You can be proud of that flying career. Thank you for watching and commenting. I wonder if we could get together for a video interview some time.

[@hearsejr]

hey I remember 123 when it was in Kinston NC, at the NCFS. I was a signed to a U6A Beaver. that was in the early 2000s maybe...

[@hearsejr]

123, and 127... Got a couple of snap shots of them..

[@JungleYT]

It was #123 that unfortunately crashed in 2002 grounding their use...

[@stollak1]

A long overdue grounding. These planes were not maintained properly, and were death traps. These particular planes should be scrapped and forgotten. And for anyone who remembers them fondly, my last sight of T123 was in pieces on a flatbed truck - right before I hiked to the crash site in Estes Park. The ME's office didn't bother to do a full body recovery. I recovered more than 80 lbs of remains of both pilots - and my father's wedding ring. No daughter should have had that responsibility.

[@JungleYT]

@@stollak1 Yeah, I was shocked to discover a while back that "antique" planes were being used to fight fires - a pretty stressful duty. However, at the time I thought they were regular B-24s and not a Navy version... Sorry your father was a pilot on that lost plane

[@stollak1]

@@JungleYT It's worse than that. The #1 engine mount was cracked and shimmed up with washers. As a litigant, I was privy to all the information that was not public. That airplane was a disgrace. The company was a disgrace.

[@JungleYT]

@@stollak1 Wow... I assume that was the result of the NTSB investigation? Those guys are incredibly thorough... The B-17 909 that crashed I think also had some patched up engine work...

[@stollak1]

@@JungleYT The 909. That broke my heart. I knew the chief pilot. He was good. The magneto switch wiring was a patch job. It shorted out. I never finished reading the report, so I don't know why the 2nd engine blew. My father flew that plane in his off season for Collings. I flew in it many times over the years. I think we've seen the end of the flying warbirds. That was the end of an era. But the 909 and tanker crashes are two different issues. H&P operated a Class 4 repair station - they were aware of the cracks in the spars. That plane, after a replacement was to be brought in, was supposed to be taken out of service and examined and repaired. The Company took its time, and Rick and my father died. But, TBH, those planes had no business fighting fires. The 909 was a mechanical failure, not a structural one. Tankers 130 and 123 were structural in nature.

[@monostripeexplosiveexplora2374]

poor 123..

[@Fyrpylit]

:59-1:29 That would be me

[@airailimages]

OK -- that's cool! Thanks for watching and commenting.