Ghost in the machine . . . ?

**clipper1801** · 10-18-2017 21:13

In late 1969 my father and I took a trip to visit his old airplane days at Reeder Flying Service in Twin Falls, Idaho.

It was nostalgia for him but nirvana for me! This is where I grew up climbing over big WWII aircraft and handing him wrenches as he converted the war birds into fire tankers.

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Thousands of wonderful and delightful memories flooded my mind as we walked through the front office into the main hanger. What was there really blew my mind! I have often wondered if I was dreaming it, but suddenly the reality has emerged. I had a cheap box camera in those days, took a roll or two of 110 photos, none of which ever got developed . . . but I still remember the distinctive smell of the hangar and the incredible craft before my eyes. It had been a Boeing B-17F fire tanker, I had seen many of those, but never one like this unique apparition. Not sure of copyrights, I can only post a photo of a photo . . .

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Upon a few more strokes of the Google I found the official record of Air Tanker A34: Delivered as 42-6107 Lockheed/Vega B-17F-50-VE On July 23, 1943. Struck off record in 1946, converted to an instructional air frame in Clarkston, WA 1946-1953. Declared derelict 1953. Sold and converted to an air tanker 1961-1969. Re-engined in 1970 with 4 Rolls Royce Dart Turbo-props from a Vickers Viscount, at Twin Falls, Idaho, flown as air tanker A34 . . . A B-17F with 4, count them 4 turbo prop engines! Glistening in the shop at Reeders it ached to fly! Pete said they had to add 6 feet to the engine mounts to make the CG! Then they had to add a huge internal/external tank for the fire retardant! It was VERY impressive. I got to climb in and look around while the old guys yacked over the good old days . . .

. . . August 18, 1970 A34 on its first fire assignment, crashed and was totaled during a fire in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming with a loss of both crew . . . downwind/down slope fire drop, sudden loss of altitude, high density altitude and downdraft, updraft, collision with trees and ground. All the worst elements with a new bird, new crew . . .

Imagine my joy at finding the photos, the sadness of its loss, and then to find this video online of it on the ground and then in flight! Too much!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANuDjDJWdtE&t=4s

Then at the end of the video a brief note about the source of the information, a book by Specialty Press on Fire Bombers! Comes with a DVD with an hour of video history! Instantly searched for, found and ordered from EBay! Now the long dark teatime of the soul, awaiting the volume, the phantoms, the chills and the thrills lurk behind my mind! If only dad were here to share it with me . . . ah, but that is another story.

**Naharaht** · 10-18-2017 22:47

It is very sad that A34 was lost on its first mission but it is good that those old planes found a use even so long after WW2.

**gully_raker** · 10-18-2017 22:58

Glad you found that book David!

**Jager** · 10-19-2017 00:34

Glad you have found a solid piece for your memories with your dad. Enjoy them.
Karl

**Lt. S.Kafloc** · 10-19-2017 04:15

Nice find to bring back nicer memories David.

**Flying Helmut** · 10-19-2017 05:43

Nice to have found a link back to your past, as well as a tribute to the plane.
Enjoy!

**milcoll73** · 10-19-2017 05:58

serendipity indeed! judging by the variety of the firebombers in the video one wonders if the choice of acquisitions was purposeful to preserve a variety of warbirds from the jaws of the smelter.