Got to fly in a B-17 today!

[ratat98]

It was a dream come true! A few weeks ago I got a flyer that EAA's B-17 was going to be in Norman, OK, which is only a few hours away, and my brother lives down there. The price was kinda high, but my mom had been asking what I wanted for Christmas, so the lightbulb popped up brightly over my head. Early Christmas present....
My grandad flew B-17's in the war, and it had always been a dream of mine to fly in one, well I can scratch that off the bucket list!
And the best part is, I was lucky enough to be first in line when we boarded, so I got to sit up behind the co-pilot and watch the pilot do the same procedures my grandad used to do 60 something years ago...
It may have only been a 30 minute flight, that was worth a lot of money, but I say it was priceless. The memories will last forever...
Pictures, and video will follow when I get time to get them off my camera.
Go to EAA's B-17 - Aluminum Overcast to see her....

 

[Flyingvan911]

I got to fly in the Collins Foundation's B-17 "909" a few years ago. Best $450 I ever spent. I don't have pics on this computer but it is not an experience to miss if you can afford it.

 

[RangerBob]

Congrats! I had the same privilege to ride in Aluminum Overcast some years ago, also first in line and got the seat behind the pilot. Here's the video I made of the flight...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nspUsJTJ2O0[/media]

Sorry for the jumpy video. I digitized it from a noisy camcorder tape and cut out the glitchy parts.

 

[91W350]

That is awesome! I always wanted to fly in one and maybe when I retire, that will be my retirement gift to myself. I also have a burning desire to go through the mountains with the UPRR's 3985. UP: Challenger No. 3985 Did you get a photo of the deuce on the tarmac with the B-17? Glen

 

[wsmIVokc]

I saw you! I saw you!
Truly a rare sight to look up and see a 70 year old bomber flying over OKC these days.

I thought about taking that ride also.
Maybe next time.


Bill

 

[wreckerman893]

I got to fly in the Collins Foundation's B-17 "909" a few years ago. Best $450 I ever spent. I don't have pics on this computer but it is not an experience to miss if you can afford it.

Ditto.....my son and I flew on the same plane.....on the flight with us was a WWII vet that had been a radio operator/waist gunner on one during the war.

It was the first time he had been in any airplane since the war....his son and grandson were on the flight with him.

I was proud to have met one of the members of the "greatest generation".

He had been shot down, bailed out over the English channel and crash landed a few times.....his son said he had never talked about the war until a few months prior to the flight. He (the son) had discovered his father's medals while cleaning out the attic of his house.

As you said....expensive, but worth every penny. My son has a pic of us in the plane on his wall.

 

[Blythewoodjoe]

Ditto.....my son and I flew on the same plane......

Double Ditto, I flew on it about 10 years ago. I made a 30 minute video I need to post up on youtube or something. Best $300 I have ever spent.

I flew on a B-25 a year later. I might have some pictures of the B-25 trip here somewhere. I was the last to board it and they put me right behind the pilots. Sometimes being polite pays off.

Joe

 

[Rustsleeps]

After that experience, imagine a 1000 aircraft mission. My dad was a B-24 pilot 15th Airforce, 464th bomb group based in Italy. They were truly the Greatest Generation.

 

[littlebob]

I hope I get a chance to be a passenger before they are all grounded because of age. It would be a priceless memory.

 

[Blythewoodjoe]

I hope you guys don't mind but I found the pictures I took on the B-25. It was 5 of these plains in the air at once and it was so cool to be up there with them. I was right behind the pilots for take off and landing. They don't let anybody get in the nose at those times in case of a crash. The sad part is all I had with me was a pitiful little 35MM camera. I lost several of my pictures when I was crawling through the little duct that leads from the crew area to the nose and popped the battery door (on the camera) open. Still very glad I had it with me.
Joe

 

[M1Kodiak]

Lucky! The Collins Foundation planes came near me when I was 10 or so. I got a T-shirt but wasn't lucky enough to catch a ride. Someday though.....

 

[captain-crank]

Yankee Lady

The halftrack was invited to a Fly-In this past July.

Went for a ride in the beautifully restored "Yankee Lady"...... unforgettable.

My Uncle was a bombardier in the Fortress and I got to sit in his "office chair".

If you get the opportunity, take it. Who knows how much longer they will be able to do this.

The major cost involved is not fuel or maintenance but the insurance to carry passengers in a 70+ year old warbird.

 

[Flyingvan911]

I especially like the pic of the props looking out from the nose. It is amazing to think of the power needed to turn them.

 

[two.fiveM35]

I got to fly in the one out of Galveston, Tx. I loved it and was lock in the nose cone when we landed. I'm not sure what I liked best, flying in it or watching and listening to it start up and take off.

 

[CanonNinja]

its about $250-300/year for a CAF membership + wing/squadron dues, FYI. I've gotten about 4 flights this last year on Texas Raiders here in Houston, as Im a member of the Gulf Coast Wing. Definitely the cheapest and most involved way to be part of a flight crew and get some hours on the old birds.


some of my photos from a photo mission at WoH this year (as best as I could do while in the nose)

 

[wreckerman893]

I found the pics I and my son made on the Collins Foundation B-17.

Pic one is my son Kyle behind a .50 cal.

Pic two is me behind the .50 cal.

Pics three and four are the WWII Vet that was on the plane....the young man is his grandson.

Pic five is the plane we flew on.

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Thank you, gentlemen, for your contibutions to this thread