I Got To Fly On A B-24 Bomber Today

There are so few of them left and they are so expensive to operate, it can be a once in a lifetime experience..You are a lucky dude..You flew in four engine B-24 Liberator? was it "Diamond Lil" it used to be the only one. I asked my Dad what it was like flying four engine (He is also rated in B-29) He said "It was like sitting on your front porch and flying your house around"..He and I were Confederate Air Force and got greasy on all those planes..

 

That shot out the back of the B-17 gave me goose bumps. Amazing machines and the men that flew in them.

 

My neighbor did some of the paint work for the Colling Foundation stuff. I live by a small muni and see them every year.

 

My dad flew about a 100 missions in the cargo plane version of the B-24, called a C-87- no guns, and the bomb bays were replaced with cargo holds. He flew over the 'Hump' a.k.a. the Himalyan Mountains to go between India and China where fuel for B-29's was stockpiled for raids on Japan. He was a powerplant specialist on the ground, and a flight engineer in the air. He has the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, and no desire to fly anymore.

 

Outstanding!

 

I am saving for the august event now, can't wait.

 

you are luckey to fly on a "liberator", I paint aircraft for woodlake aircraft refinishing and we`ve done a lot of warbirds, t-6`s t-28`s tbm avengers l-39`s etc. and of course a ride around the patch is part of the bill. but even after 15 years i havent had the privalage of hearing 4 big radial engines in sterio while leaving the ground. Old airplanes are cool ! we just finished a 1951 Dehavaland Beaver on floats. buzzed the local lake, luv those 9 cylinder knuckelheads

 

the most awesome part of the whole thing was the fly by of sac airport. no air traffic, just us. imagine what the guys in the tower were thinking...

 

Amazing stuff...imagine the young men who worked on those planes and flew them into combat not knowing if they were to return, they were real men,...and we think we're hotrodders....

 

Man! I was going to go for a ride in that collings foundation B-24 that was making the rounds, but my 2 buddies that were gonna go with me flaked and my money also got tight. Now I wish I would have just said screw it and still gone...

 

That looks like Moffet field

 

is that Moffet field

 

In my pictures it is.

More HERE

 

Actually, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum offers rides in their Lancaster. IIRC, the tariff is around $2K...but since they are the only game around...

The Collings guys (and a couple girls too) are great. I am a wrench bender on some warbirds too, and the warbird community is small enough that most of us know everyone else.

 

I have got to do this next time these birds are in long beach...Here's a shot I took about a month ago when they were here. B-17 Flying over my house...(one of the perqs of living in the flight path- every year get to see this!)

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