2019_02_0503 - a photo on Flickriver

2019_02_0503

            A well deserved applause for the Flypast, and for a great effort all round to EVERYONE involved in such a smooth running precision timed event, and againt the usual petty bureaucracy that could have prevented such a day, Mi Amigo Flypast BBC Breakfast TV Special, Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

It was a highly emotionally charged morning with many tears shed all round, and a real privilege to attend and witness. 

75 years ago on 22nd February, US Air Force B-17 Flying Fortress 'Mi Amigo' (305th Bomb Group) crashed in Endcliffe Park in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. The plane circled the nearby houses and decided to try to land in Endcliffe Park. However, a group of kids were playing in the park, and rather than risk killing them, the plane crashed into trees at the back of the park. All the crew were killed.

One of those boys was (now) 82 year Tony Foulds. A memorial was installed at the crash site in 1969, which Tony has visited every day to pay homage to the 10 - his 'family' and life-saver.

BBC TV presenter Dan Walker lives nearby and walks his dog in the park. He met Tony, and one thing led to another, and escalated into a live broadcast building up to a 10 aircraft flypast at 8:45 on 22nd February 2019 - the 75th anniversary of the crash.

Presented by Charlie Stayt and Steph McGovern with a lot of special guests, including Tony Foulds, USAF and RAF dignitaries, family of the crew and music from the US Air Force Band, culminating in the flypast.

Sadly Dan Walker couldn't make the day that he organised - he had signed up to raise money for BBC fundraiser 'Comic Relief' by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The Mission :
'Mi Amigo' departed from RAF Chelveston, Northants at 08.00 on a diversionary mission to Aalborg in Denmark to confuse Luftwaffe defences. Sadly Denmark was covered in thick cloud, and circled a few times to try to find breaks in cover. They were forced to abort the mission and offload their loads in the North Sea. They were attacked by the Luftwaffe with strikes to the wing and fuselage. It was a 'spirited' fight, and the attacker lost his life, as well as 3 of the B-17 crew. At 16:10 the B-17 requested a vector to an emergency landing field in Yorkshire. With one engine already out, another cut out causing the plane to spiral out of control and crash in Endcliffe Park.

In Memory of the Crew 'Lest We Forget' :
First Lieutenant John Glennon Krieghauser, Pilot from Missouri
Second Lieutenant Lyle J Curtis, Co-Pilot from Idaho
Second Lieutenant John W Humphrey, Navigator from Illinois
Second Lieutenant Melchor Hernandez, Bombardier from California
Staff Sergeant Robert E Mayfield, Radio Operator from Illinois
Staff Sergeant Harry W Estabrooks, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner from Kansas
Sergeant Charles H Tuttle, Ball-Turret Gunner from Kentucky
Sergeant Maurice O Robbins, Tail Gunner from Texas
Sergeant Vito R Ambrosio, Right Waist Gunner from New York
Muster Sergeant George U Williams, Left Waist Gunner from Oklahoma

The Flypast Aircraft :
4x F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath 
KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall
MC-130J Commando II from RAF Mildenhall
CV-22 Osprey from RAF Mildenhall
2x Typhoon from RAF Coningsby
Dakota from RAF Coningsby
   

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Sheffield (show map)

Taken on: February 22, 2019

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Mi Amigo

B17

BBC Breakfast

BBC

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Sheffield Flypast

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305th Bomb Group

305 Bomber Group

Tony Foulds

Dan Walker

Charlie Stayt

Steph McGovern

Endcliffe Park

Sheffield

South Yorkshire

Yorkshire

RAF Lakenheath

USAF Lakenheath

RAF Mildenhall

USAF Mildenhall

RAF Coningsby

Lakenheath

Mildenhall

Coningsby

USAF

RAF

Royal Air Force

United States Air Force

US Air Force

F15E Strike Eagle

F15 Strike Eagle

F15E

F15

Strike Eagle

KC135 Stratotanker

KC135

Stratotanker

MC130J Commando II

MC130J

MC130

Hercules

CV22 Osprey

CV22

Osprey

Typhoon

Eurofighter

Douglas Dakota

Douglas

Dakota

BBMF

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight « less

Sets appears in: • Mi Amigo Flypast BBC Breakfast TV Special, Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

Camera: Olympus E-30, f/4.2, 1/200 sec, 108mm, ISO 250 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Olympus E-30
Aperture:	f/4.2
Exposure Time:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:	108mm
ISO:	250
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Creative (Slow speed)
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	High gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	PaintShop Pro 20.00
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