You just have to love the sound of a big radial pushing a Hamilton Standard prop. Of course, the sound of FOUR big radials pushing four props is guaranteed to tilt the kilt! (Let's set aside for a moment the sound of six R-4360s pushing six props...)

I think the B-17G is one of the most beautiful aircraft ever made. I recall in 1990 that one was being restored in my home town of Corvallis, Oregon. Once they had it flying they took it to Portland to get the second pilot multi-engine certified and to have an A&P look things over. Passed all tests and inspections with flying colours.

Everybody in town knew it -- they flathatted the place at full throttle and coarse pitch. I will remember that sound for the rest of my life.

Up here in BC we get to hear a piece of that every summer during fire season. The small water bombers are FireCats, which look and sound like an old B-26 with twin radials. When things are really smokin' we get one over the top of my office every 60 seconds.