Railfan.net - Dan Syrcher's Liberty Belle B-17 Ride Photos

Dan Syrcher's Liberty Belle B-17 Ride Photos
Also see more of Dan's Railfan Photos Here
and Remnants of the Niagara Falls Gorge Railway
and West Shore Dismantlement
and Buffalo Central Terminal Aerial Photos

For years I've been wanting to take a ride on the B-17 when it has come to town. Under the financial constraints at the time, I couldn't justify the cost vs time in the plane. But with the possibility of the plane being grounded due to high gas and insurance prices, I decided it was time to take the ride. Am I glad I did. It was the best thing I ever did. Below are pictures that I took, but they don't compare to actually being on the plane.

The route the B-17 flew was perfect. We flew along side the CSX Frontier Yard and then down along the lake shore of Lake Erie with CSX and NS in view of the bombsite. See video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXTv80Lu8Yo I couldn't help but think about the crews who actually flew the B-17s during WWII and flying over numerous German rail yards trying to take them out of action.

We then turned around and flew over the former Bethlehem Steel plant. It was an appropriate run because the plant looks bombed out anyways. The ship, docked at the gateway terminal, would have been toast if this were an actual bombing run.

It was money well spent.

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Photos 1 through 16 of 16 total

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1/16	From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net Date: Mon Jun 23 13:18:57 2008 Subject: This is the B-17 Liberty Belle arriving from the previous flight that I'm about to board. I'm about to discover, it was worth every penny! image/jpeg, 2592x1944 (24bit) 01-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 285648 bytes

2/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 13:26:53 2008
Subject: We departed runway 23 and just about to fly over the New York State Thruway, I-90.

As you look at the I-90 looking south, the first overpass is the mainline for CSX just east of the Frontier Yard. Just down the road is the NS Bison Yard where the Thruway goes over the yard. The photo is taken out of the side gunners window.
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02-B17-6-21-08-ds.desc.jpg 279350 bytes

3/16	From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net Date: Mon Jun 23 13:34:48 2008 Subject: What a view of the Frontier Yard and the Bison Yard. Harlem Rd is just at the extreme left of the picture. The hump is clearly visible. image/jpeg, 2592x1944 (24bit) 03-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 380615 bytes

4/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 13:40:24 2008
Subject: Another view of both yards exept with the side gunners machine gun in view. If you know your rr stuff, you'll see all the r-o-w's running through both yards.
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04-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 547999 bytes

5/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 13:46:44 2008
Subject: This picture is looking aft towards the Frontier Yard. It's perfect shot with the machine gun pointed at the yard. It made me think of WWII and what I'd be doing with that gun.
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05-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 359490 bytes

6/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 13:53:50 2008
Subject: The crew had the hatch open for viewing. I wasn't tall enough to look out so I just put the camera into the air stream and clicked the shutter. I'm surpised at how well it came out. It was difficult holding the camera still. This is the top turret looking forward.
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06-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 188023 bytes

7/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:00:06 2008
Subject: This is a great shot of Buffalo. Below the horizontal stabilizer is the General Mills plant, the Great Northern elevator and ADM milling on Ganson St. Lafarge is also in view at the lower right at the Ohio St bridge.

This photo was also taken from the open hatch looking back of course.
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07-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 270812 bytes

8/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:10:09 2008
Subject: When I crawled into the forward area and looked out the window, this is where my heart skipped a beat and I realized that this was the best investment I ever made. To see this live, is money well spent! The propeller tips are only inches from the fuselage.
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08-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 82919 bytes

9/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:20:52 2008
Subject: This was the best part of the route flown. We are now over the CSX mainline and NS headed SW with the bomb site included. I didn't realize until after the flight and reviewing the pictures that I didn't look through the bomb site.

For a few moments, I sat and pondered how many airmen sat in other B-17's and aimed their sites at a railroad and how many didn't make it back. I hope you all realize that it's because of these crews and others that you and I are allowed to post these pictures without retribution. It's called Freedom.
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09-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 187784 bytes

10/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:23:59 2008
Subject: I tried to get the camera ready for this shot before the locomotives passed underneath. Not fast enough. They were two Union Pacific units headed towards Buffalo.
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10-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 104655 bytes

11/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:30:55 2008
Subject: Just as I finished the shot above, we turned around and headed north. We flew over the former Bethlehem Steel plant which already looks bombed out. A ship is loading/unloading coal at the Gateway Terminal. Lucky for the ships crew we are not at war.
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11-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 91216 bytes

12/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:34:33 2008
Subject: Still the Bethlehem Steel plant a little closer.
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12-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 88783 bytes

13/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:42:25 2008
Subject: We are now turning right base leg to runway 23 at Buffalo. The main drag at the tip of the wing is Transit Rd [Rt78] looking south.
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13-B17-6-21-08-ds.jpg 99091 bytes

14/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Jun 23 14:48:26 2008
Subject: This photo was taken by my friend who was at the new Mercy Flight operations next to the runway. I am on short final with United and Comair holding.
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14-B17-6-21-08-bf.jpg 20965 bytes

15/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Sep 15 21:33:36 2008
Subject: Here is a recent photo while navigating the Black Rock Canal with the family onboard. We are headed down the canal and approaching the swing bridge that passes over the I-190 and the canal. You'll notice two CN units crossing the bridge entering into the USA.
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44-Black_Rock-8-16-08-ds.jpg 139424 bytes

16/16

From: "Dan Syrcher" sst703 -AT- verizon -DOT- net
Date: Mon Sep 15 21:39:12 2008
Subject: The Black Rock Canal, a wider angle of viewing. Looking to the left of the picture is the canal with the lock up and around the corner. The lock is actually out of view. To the pictures right and to the right of the small boat is where the Erie Canal is/was. There is about 100 feet of canal that goes nearly under the swing bridge but it jam packed with floating debris. No exploding cut stone.
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45-Black_Rock-8-16-08-ds.jpg 125913 bytes

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