[Milsurplus] TCS-12

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

On Thu, 10 Mar 2005 21:17:29 -0800, Dan Arney <hankarn at pacbell.net> wrote:
> Having flown in a B-17 would some one please tell me how you are going
> to get enough people inside it to cause a weight problem.
> Even if the bomb bay area, and everything was gutted and you put in
> canvas seats you would not gross out the plane even with full fuel,
> which when they are carrying PAX they have to meet FAA rules for safety
> and restraint.
> 
> So that makes the excuse so much BULL S***.

Keep in mind too, that these planes flew with a 10-man crew *plus* a
bomb load. So flying 10 people in the plane plus whatever else really
shouldn't be an issue at all. Sure, they want a safety margin and all,
but even 1000 lbs of bombs is another 5-7 passengers. When I flew with
the Collings Foundation on Nine-O-Nine, the actual crew was only 5 as
I recall, including a rude high school kid 'helping out'. There were 5
passengers as well as all of the touring equpiment split between the
B-17G and B-24 All American. No combat gear either, although I did
wear appropriate flight gear just for the helluvit. BOTH aircraft were
outfitted with the appropriate radio gear, although it wasn't cabled
up in Nine-O-Nine. All American was a more recent restoration in 1992,
so they went further with it by the looks. Unlike the pCAF, this group
does indeed value accuracy.

Someone touched on the best approach to the original PT boat issue:
turn it into an opportunity to get working gear on the boat while
educating the folks as to its importance. I seem to recall the
original post mentioning that a working transmitter was not required
since they wouldn't use it, but it sounds like it would be accepted?
As long as the group is not AGAINST having authentic, working gear on
board like the pCAF seems to be, it might be an perfect chance to do
it 'right'. Same with the RADAR.

It certainly can't hurt to try. If they clearly state they do not want
correct or working gear, that's another story. I suspect part of the
problem with many of the newer groups is not having knowledgable
people involved to address the issue, nothing more. Get someone
involved who can and will 'use' the gear at public displays, I bet
most groups now would welcome this. You'll always have the ones like
Dave and Larry ran into, and while we can all hope they'll wake up and
die right, warning others not to donate gear is the wise thing to do
in that situation. Some not only have no appreciation for it, they
don't want to have. Donating gear to groups like this is the same as
dumping it yourself.

~ Todd,  KA1KAQ