Originally Posted by
Wunwing
cpngrog.
The blowing out statement suggests to me that they may have had fouled plugs on the engine.
That would also explain why they didn't declare an emergency.
On the Connie for one example, fouled/non firing plugs are an engine shutdown condition.
Wunwing
That may be a more logical explanation than an engine fire, but it would have involved a "routine" engine shut down and feathering of the prop. As tdracer pointed out, a lightly loaded B-17 should have been able to easily climb out (not just maintain altitude) on three engines. As tdracer said, I too believe that there was something else going on besides a "simple" engine failure.
Regards,
Grog