How B-17 Crews Started The B-17
YouTube / B17GMODEL
Fascinating Historical Film
This video features how B-17 crews started the B-17. Capt. Arthur Kennedy who was a Broadway actor before joining the AAF played the instructor in this short film.
The starter motor spun a heavy flywheel inside the starter, and it took up to 50 seconds for the flywheel to build enough speed to turn off the engine. As soon as the co-pilot hit the mesh switch, the flywheel engaged the engine starter gear.
Moreover, a hand crank can be inserted into the starter and the flywheel brought to speed by hand so that the engine can be started when the batteries were low, and there’s no external power available.
Didn’t know that starting this up would be so complicated!
