each dominated Germany at different times and in very different ways.

My grandfather was a B24 bombardier.
I've been inside one and it's amazing to think people flew these in battle.

From the ashes....

I'd imagine he was a small in stature man.

Was in a B-17 at Oshkosh a few years ago. I'm not small but it was incredibly tight inside there...could barely get my head inside the top turret and had to squeeze down the bomb bay catwalk. No wonder so many smoked like fiends.

Like myself he was 150 lbs. Interestingly he had chronic rheumatoid arthritis and tried to hide it at all times to get into the war. Not out of it. One day right before he was to go overseas his superior officer noticed he wasn't carrying his flight sack but his buddy was. He had noticed grandad's hands were starting to get the gnarled appearance characteristic of the diseases effect. He took those hands and squeezed with all his might and grandad couldn't help but wince with the pain. That was it, he was out.

B-24 bombers were produced out of Ypsilanti once per hour.
Home of the Tucker Auto and plastic curved windscreens and much more.
(A decade and a half ago I volunteered at Yankee Air Force Museum for a summer. Long drive. Ground crew. Simple stuff. Slow. I was bored. I was frustrated and a younger punk. Never realized how lucky I was. Worked next to B17s and B29s being maintained. Took dad on a flight for his 70'th bday. )

Liberty supply ships were somehow built every 6 hours.

Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson

My uncle was a B-17 pilot in WW2. He was 6'6". He could not fit through the hatch with his parachute and gear. He was based in northern England and was shot down on his final sortee (he had completed his tour, but volunteered for one more). Everyone else got out, but he went down with the airplane. Here is a picture from 1944 with his crew:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1461498439.jpg

The one plane per hour is an amazing feat. If you ever get a chance to read "The Arsenal of Democracy: FDR, Detroit, and an Epic Quest to Arm an America at War" it is a great read. America at its finest!

I was fortunate enough a few years ago to get a 45 minute tour of Galveston Island in a B-17. Besides being very cramped, the engines are very loud, there is a constant thrum/vibration throughout the plane when cruising and it is very drafty in the cabin. One can only imagine how uncomfortable it would be on the long flight to Germany at altitude with the constant roar of the engnes and the temp is below zero and you know you will soon be in the true killing zone of FLAK, ME-109s, FW-190s and later ME-262s.

In my first duty assignment in the USAF in 1968 the O-6 who headed the task force I was assigned to was a 17 year-old B-17 tail gunner in WWII. When talking about it he just said it was mainly many hours of anxious boredom then into hell....

Wayne...good to see the 959 out and about.

How about a review? I have been around for a long time, and remember when you got it. I enjoyed the thread where you went through it. Would also love to hear more details about your other cars (962s and 935s). How did you get into them? How did you educate yourself to know what to look for? What's the next big thing? I think you got into 962s right when they were JUST starting to be appreciated (with everyone being distracted/focused on the 917).

Anyway...I am just interested in your odyssey as it pertains to acquiring some of the great P-Cars. It seems like you had an RS replica, and then the 959. Then what? A 935, or your first 962? I, for one, and inspired by what you have done, and would love to hear details. There are others who have other opinions, but don't let that detract you from telling your story.

A little off-topic, but seeing the 959 reminded me to ask you about what else is going on in your collection, and how you got there over time.

Good to see you posting a little more...

JA