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Thats so cool. my favorite plane by far. I got a chance to tour one at the Planes of Fame museum in Chino with my dad when I was a kid. Have always had a thing for the B-17s
Way cool,love the styling of those B-17s.I was driving home from the farm last week and saw one of these B-25s.I guess they were preparing for an air show,pulled over and watched it climb.I love those radial engines,man what a sound.Wow!
The 82 Airborn has been here for 2 weeks and doing jumps in Jefferson Barracks and somewhwere else. There were WWII vets and guys who are still active jumping too. Pretty cool. I took a tour of a B-17 when I was little dont remeber a whole lot. Pops was a lifer in the Navy...
The B-17 was just here in DeKalb this weekend doing the same thing. It was here last year also and I spent quite a while just watching and listening to it go overhead. It really is an awesome thing and I hope the people that could afford the ride really Appreciated the experience and airplance for what it is.
Funny you mention that. I use to belong to WW2 Airman's Preservation Society and portrayed the pilot of the B-17 Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby (now at Wright Patterson). Many years ago I had a gentleman from Tiffin OH contact me through my old WW2 website about doing a living history for his 5th grade class. He had also got a hold of the late Col. Robert Morgan (pilot of the Memphis Bell) to come up from North Carolina. He also had contacted the Confederate Air Force about bringing in a B-17. This school teacher raised funds for this week long history lesson, which I believe the whole town got involved. Anyway, long story short, 2 days before this was going to happen I get a call from him that the CAF wanted not only to charge their fee to bring in the B-17 but also to charge each kid $5 for a tour though the old bird, which was not part of the deal and cost more then what they raised. He was really bum'n that night. I suggested to call the Yankee Air Force (now I have displayed with both the CAF and YAF). He did and they were in the process of overhauling one of the engines, but they said they would see what they could do as they also have a B-25. Well I head up that way not knowing what was going to happen. I met them at the bed & breakfast and had dinner with them that night. The next day I set up my display at the local airport. We had heard through the tower that they are on their way in and will be doing a pass over the field. Not only did the YAF pull through with their B-25, but they worked all night and the next day and got the B-17 down there as well. What a beautiful sight that was to see them both and knowing you had hand in making that happen. Although I didn't get to ride in the B-17, was full of VIPs, I was offered a ride in the B-25. That my friends was the best flight I have ever been on as it was totally awesome. Later on that week the YAF told the teacher that it would be the same price that he originally struck with the CAF for just their B-17, yet they brought 2 Bombers. My hat will always be off to the members of the YAF.
What a great story, the cost of keeping these planes airworthy has to be off the charts. I went up in the EAA's "Aluminum Overcast" 3-4 years ago and it was well worth the cost of the 45 minute flight. Just couldn't stop thinking about what it was like for my Dad and fellow ground crews to see four squadrons take off and only half return at the begininng of his tour in England.
I've posted this before but never get tired of doing it. My dad finished flight school for B-17's as a pilot (later called an AirCraft Commander) when he was 19 years old. He and his crew picked up a new B-17 at the factory, flew it to England and did 25 missons over Germany. At 25 missions you were elgible to return home. After being home for less than 2 months he re-uped and went to B-29 school, was transfered to Guam and spent the rest of the war bombing Japan. Again, after being home for 2 years this time, he went back in and flew B-29's again before going to B-47's. When a call went out to volunteer for B-52 school he did so and finished his Air Force Career (over 32 years) again flying out of Guam, bombing North Viet Nam until that conflict was over for the US. Frank
A couple of years ago, this was my seat in the front gunners seat in the B-17 in the Collings "909". We flew over Los Angeles and out to the Pacific. I still get chills thinking about that flight....
No need to 60'shotrod. The air museum in Reading, PA. gives rides during their airshow first Sat. in June. I think it costs $350.
My 84 year old neighbor/buddy was a belly gunner on a B-17 in WW II in the Pacific. He's that clostraphobic now it's hard to get him in an elevator.
I was trying to think how many WW2 aircraft I've been in... B-17: YAF EAA 909 Thunderbird Texas Raiders Sentimental Journey Memphis Belle (been in all the positions, including the ball turret) (met 4 crew members) Movie Belle Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby (only got a close up look, didn't get a chance to go in) B-25: Show-Me YAF (flown in) Heavenly Body B-24: Strawberry Bitch Diamond Lil There's another one but I can't remember (this may be a B-25 I am thinking of) PBY P-51 (Old Crow) Beech Twin Trainer TBM Avenger (flown in that... wow what a great story.. I'll have to tell that one later) CAF He-111 C-47 AT-6 Texans Military Vehicles: Armored Scout Car (drove) similar to the Half-Track Jeeps (drove many) Have another story there in STL DUKW AH, good memories... I'll tell some more stories later.
I got a chance when I was younger, maybe 12 or so, to take a tour of the Sentimental Journey. I had just seen Memphis Belle and it was an awesome experience to tour a real life B-17.
The Jalopy Journal
