Old Warbird firefighters... - The Firearms Forum

ysacres · 03-06-2003, 10:33 PM

Xracer
*TFF Senior Staff*
Posts: 2540
(8/7/02 10:09:54 am)
Reply Old Warbird Firefighters....
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The Forest Service is trying to get the Military to release some "newer" surplus aircraft for firefighting....some of the present ones are over 50 years old.

www.nytimes.com/2002/08/0...7TANK.html

nighthawksh
V.I.P. Member
Posts: 133
(8/7/02 12:27:57 pm)
Reply Re: Old Warbird Firefighters....
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not a bad idea,, locally, we use an old PBY,,must be 50 to 60 years old,, I watch it take off and wonder if it is going to get into the air,,,so far, so good,,,,
Stan H ,, nighthawk

"Those willing to give up freedom in exchange for security will soon discover they have neither"

Xracer
*TFF Senior Staff*
Posts: 2543
(8/7/02 3:41:56 pm)
Reply Re: Old Warbird Firefighters....
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NH.....those old PBYs make great aerial firefighters. I've seen some that are able to load themselves by landing on a lake and scooping the water inside as they taxi. Are yours equipped that way?

Earlier in the year when I saw one of those PB4Y aerial waterbombers in action, I wondered how safe they were. The weak point in all the Liberators was where those Davis Wings attached to the fuselage.....and, sure enough, when they showed that one crashing recently, those wings just folded upwards into a "V".

I wonder just how well those "contract waterbombers" are maintained? You take a 50-year old aircraft, run it max/max (and probably overgross), give it marginal maintenance......and you've got a recipe for disaster.

03-06-2003, 10:33 PM	#1
ysacres Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Wazzu WA Posts: 2,413	Old Warbird firefighters... Xracer TFF Senior Staff Posts: 2540 (8/7/02 10:09:54 am) Reply Old Warbird Firefighters.... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Forest Service is trying to get the Military to release some "newer" surplus aircraft for firefighting....some of the present ones are over 50 years old. www.nytimes.com/2002/08/0...7TANK.html nighthawksh V.I.P. Member Posts: 133 (8/7/02 12:27:57 pm) Reply Re: Old Warbird Firefighters.... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- not a bad idea,, locally, we use an old PBY,,must be 50 to 60 years old,, I watch it take off and wonder if it is going to get into the air,,,so far, so good,,,, Stan H ,, nighthawk "Those willing to give up freedom in exchange for security will soon discover they have neither" Xracer TFF Senior Staff Posts: 2543 (8/7/02 3:41:56 pm) Reply Re: Old Warbird Firefighters.... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NH.....those old PBYs make great aerial firefighters. I've seen some that are able to load themselves by landing on a lake and scooping the water inside as they taxi. Are yours equipped that way? Earlier in the year when I saw one of those PB4Y aerial waterbombers in action, I wondered how safe they were. The weak point in all the Liberators was where those Davis Wings attached to the fuselage.....and, sure enough, when they showed that one crashing recently, those wings just folded upwards into a "V". I wonder just how well those "contract waterbombers" are maintained? You take a 50-year old aircraft, run it max/max (and probably overgross), give it marginal maintenance......and you've got a recipe for disaster. -->