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I Got To Fly On A B-24 Bomber Today

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Hunter Bender, May 27, 2007.

  1. Hunter Bender
    Joined: Sep 23, 2005
    Posts: 380

    Hunter Bender
    Member

    where do i begin, got to fly on a fully restored b-24 bomber today. i have been trying to do this for 3 years, but never had the cash. my father in law bought me a ticket for my birthday. $425 bucks a ride(worth every cent). so sience i didn't have to buy my ticket i took my grandpa. he was an air force mechanic for 30 years and he dosn't have to many years left. it was about a 30 minute flight and it was bad ass. 4, 1200 horse power motors. as soon as the plane left the ground you were free to walk around. i sat in the front gun turrit, rear turrit, and every where else. if any of you guys ever have the chance to do this do it. it is the greatest thing ever. anyway, i hope my link works for the pic's, i am having trohttp://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8QcMWbVuzasccuble posting them. enjoy!!!!
     
  2. Hunter Bender
    Joined: Sep 23, 2005
    Posts: 380

    Hunter Bender
    Member

    links not working. if anyone can help out let me know. these pics are bad ass..
     
  3. draggin ass
    Joined: Jun 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,920

    draggin ass
    BANNED
    from hell

    man! i hope i get that chance! congrats!
     
  4. Hunter Bender
    Joined: Sep 23, 2005
    Posts: 380

    Hunter Bender
    Member

    ok try this...

    http:://share.shutterfly.com?action/welcome?sid=8QcMWbVuzascc
     

  5. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
    Member

    Nope. And I would like to see those pics. Sounds like a killer ride.
     
  6. Here's a few from Monday's flight here at Moffet Field....

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    Not me flying, my friend from England took the last couple from the B24 & B17
     
  7. Chuck-A-Burger Ryan
    Joined: Aug 20, 2006
    Posts: 511

    Chuck-A-Burger Ryan
    Member

    There is a foundation here in St. Louis that just started giving 30 min. flights on the weekends in a B-17 called the "Liberty Bell". If I had $425 which I believe is the price here too, I would do it in a heartbeat. I am trying to contact them to have a photo shoot done with the plane and my car club. ;)
     
  8. Scarebird
    Joined: Sep 26, 2006
    Posts: 958

    Scarebird
    Alliance Vendor
    from ABQ, USA

    Ambushed my Dad with a ride last year- he was like a little kid...
     
  9. Hunter Bender
    Joined: Sep 23, 2005
    Posts: 380

    Hunter Bender
    Member

    yep those are the planes. i cant get my pics to post . sorry guys i have 75 pictures.
    hunter
     
  10. I have over 200 :D
     
  11. 54fordmainline
    Joined: Jan 30, 2007
    Posts: 38

    54fordmainline
    Member

    over at the base Mc Cellan right !! ive seen them fly around sac every year since i was a little kid !! ive built models of the flying fortress all my life !! i love the old war planes and have always wanted to ride in one but the price is high !! i guess ill put the money into my rusty ride and pertend im flying untill i get extra funds ! i bet its a experience of a life time!!glad to hear someone else loves the old planes too!! tim
     
  12. Bobby Green
    Joined: Jun 9, 2001
    Posts: 1,318

    Bobby Green
    Member

    I'm soooo jealous.
     
  13. where did you fly to or from . i just seen a b 24 landing at the livermore airport a few hours ago thats like 2 hours west of you bented
     
  14. They were just here at Burbank airport a couple of weeks ago.



    CBB
     
  15. that plane(or one similar)was at hayward,ca. airport with the same deal about 2 weeks or so ago.my house is right behind the airport and i couldn't get enough of seeing that thing buzzing my neighborhood...huge piece of flying history....
     
  16. I'm soooo envious!!!Sure hope we get to see the pics when you sort out the link.;)
     
  17. They are part way through a nationwide tour, check out the link I posted above with the pictures...and go do it!!
     
  18. troppo
    Joined: May 25, 2007
    Posts: 4

    troppo
    Member
    from australia

    i am so damned jealous........
    as far as i know theres nothing like that here in aus
    they were real planes, fly by wire? auto pilot? no bloody way, the pilots did it all in those babies
    lucky bastard
    cheers
    troppo
     
  19. weemark
    Joined: Sep 1, 2002
    Posts: 830

    weemark
    Member
    from scotland

  20. the twin engine is a B-25.
     
  21. waynejell
    Joined: Jun 29, 2006
    Posts: 511

    waynejell
    Member
    from USA

    I thought that was Moffet Field:) I remember the huge hanger can be seen from highway 101:D
     
  22. VanHook
    Joined: May 26, 2005
    Posts: 244

    VanHook
    Member

    I flew on the Collings Foundation's B-17 a few years ago. I took a good friend of mine with me who was a navigator on 17's during the war, he had not flown in one since then. It's one of the greatest things I have ever experinced I will never forget the big grin he had throughout the entire flight!
     
  23. Hunter Bender
    Joined: Sep 23, 2005
    Posts: 380

    Hunter Bender
    Member

    thanks for fixing my link. enjoy the photos. and yes the one wiyh the chick on the side is a b-25. i didn't see it fly but it was cool to look at.
    hunter
     
  24. Scott K
    Joined: Oct 17, 2005
    Posts: 824

    Scott K
    Member

    About 4 years ago I went on the B-17 based here in Mighigan at Willow Run. Very cool flight..got to sit in the nose, at the bombadier's station for a while.
    There was a woman about 80 on the same flight..her husband had died not long before. During WWII, he'd been a gunner on B-17's and she wanted to see what it was like. Had tears streaming down her cheeks the entire time.
     
  25. Choptop
    Joined: Jun 19, 2001
    Posts: 3,303

    Choptop
    Member

    I went up in the B-17 while it was here in SacTown. AMAZING flight. Worth every cent. The skin on them planes is pretty damn thin, would stop more than a .22 round if that. MUCHO respect for the Men and boys that flew in them in the war. Something I will never forget.
     
  26. Ole don
    Joined: Dec 16, 2005
    Posts: 2,915

    Ole don
    Member

    That was a way cool way to spend a day, but the part that is really great is that you took your grand dad along. You are the HERO today.
     
  27. DocWatson
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 10,273

    DocWatson
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Your almost right there. As restored Military aircraft are considered 'experimental' by the Civil Aviation Authority' they make it super hard to get permission for aircraft operators to do this sort of thing. They have a fear of them falling out of the sky even know a restored WWII aircraft is better looked after than a Qantas 747!
    If you live in NSW head down to Albion Park Illawarra regional airport. Thats where HARS, 'Historical Aircraft Restoration Society' is based.
    You can get a ride in the Connie and I hear the Catalina as well.
    I have been lucky enough to work in several museums on a lot of WWII aircraft and got a ride in the RAAF's P51 Mustang in return for doing a tandem parachute jump for the pilot. Also got a ride in one of the Roulettes PC9s and a RNZAF TF/A-4 Skyhawk the same way, we briefly broke the sound barrier over Jervis Bay. All I can say is AWESOME. Unfortunately I attended the fatal crash of this Skyhawk only a few months latter, RIP Murry miss you mate.
    Still the Mustang ride is the No1, nothing like the sound of a Merlin and the smell of a WWII warbird!
    Most regional airports also have occasional Tigermoth flights available, again well worth the 100 odd bucks for a 1/2-1 hour flight in an open bi-plane.
    Cheers,
    Doc.

    Go out there, screw the price. Its worth it, every cent and a memory for life. Next time Im in the states, I'm lining up for a a B-17, B-24 and a B-25 ride no matter what it costs. Australia operated B-24s in WWII so its something with a connection to us. I just want to experience a little of what the greatest generation did.
    My hats off to them.
    Maybe the BBMF will start doing the same in the Lanc, that would be reason to go to England. Well that and a certain lady I know.........
     
  28. That'll never happen sadly, the FAA won't allow it :rolleyes:

    I'm already 'putting the pennies in the jar' for next year when they visit Moffett, the look on my mates face when he got off convinced me I needed to do it.....

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  29. Ol Blue
    Joined: Oct 31, 2005
    Posts: 395

    Ol Blue
    Member
    from In

    Thanks for the reminder. At the urging of my son, I rode in a B 24 a few years ago. One of the guys riding brought a scrapbook of the same plane that his Father was a top gunner in during WWII. Very neat!! The cost then was "only" $400. First recip plane I had ridden in since my time in the Air Force's C 119.

    I crawled up to the nose gunner position after takeoff. Kinda strange feeling with the nose wheel still spinning less than a foot away from my shoulder. Then looking back at those props spinning. Hard to imagine how it felt to actually be pulling duty being shot at.

    The greatest generation indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Ol Blue
     

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