[SteelBelted]

I dug in to my wallet and went for a ride in a WWII B-17 Bomber today! There were 9 of us “passengers”, 1 engineer and two pilots. We had to arrive ½ hour early to get briefed. All o us were taught to how and why the props were turned before the engines were started. We each took turns, 1 revolution each for a total of 9 revolutions per each of the four engines. The oil in the cylinders drains down to the bottom (normal). They must be cycled prior to starting or severe engine damage could result. Then we were told how to buckle up. They took the ladder away and we had to grab the bar inside and pull ourselves up. Similar method to get out. It has to be done that way for safety. We also were told hand signals to buckle up, walk and un-buckle, and where the sickness bags were. We were bouncing around so much from the wind, I almost lost it myself.

They started the engines once we seated and locked in. It shook a lot, but no vibration. My digital camera died before flight. My other one, I got carried away with the pictures prior to flight and ran out of film on take off. So no areal shots were taken.

I sat in the radio room. Once we were up, we could walk around and look outside. The hatch in the roof in the radio was left off so we could look out and bring in fresh air. Pretty cool sticking your head out of the top of a moving plane!

There was the B-17, B24, B25 and a P-51 Mustang to choose from. The B-17 was split between 9 of us. It was a half hour flight, but what a flight! I’ll never forget it.

Picked up some 30-06 dummy rounds for the 1919A4 as well.

 

[xdevildog]

Whose bird was it?

 

[southbysouthwest]

By the line up of the other planes, it sounds like you took a ride in the "Nine O Nine" B17G. Fantastic plane as are all the rest that fly with it.

 

[Bill S]

I've got a neighbor who each year treats himself and his wife to a ride in one of the Collings aircraft. I think his most recent was the B-25. The only one he has left to try is the Mustang. Great planes!!!

 

[tommygunner06]

I really really hate you!!!! I once sat in "Fuddy Duddy" B-17 and a B24 at the Norfolk Air show in Virginia. They were not doing flights then! I do have a video in stereo of the start up,flight and landing. It makes the house shake and the neighbors look in the air .

 

[SteelBelted]

By the line up of the other planes, it sounds like you took a ride in the "Nine O Nine" B17G. Fantastic plane as are all the rest that fly with it.

Yep, that's exactly what it was. Great time. Quite the thrill. The restoration work is top notch on their planes.

 

[Major Kong]

B-17 Rides.

I sat in the co-pilots seat of the movie Memphis Belle one time,it was neat!,not the original Memphis Belle.Nine O` Nine appeared at a local airshow the summer of my high school graduation,she gave some riders an unforgettable ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!.During a botched landing attempt,the pilot rolled her off the end of the runway,and carreened down a steep embankment.Yep,various forms of damage,engines bent, busted off,props destroyed.No one was seriously hurt,the plane was restored to flying condition where this airshow took place,by volunteers from all over!.

 

[Flash-hider]

Every two or three years, planes like these come to the local airport. After they take off they swing out over Lake Michigan, come back around over our farm on their flight path before they land. It's an awesome sight to see a B17 in the air. They are probably a mile up at most, it seems like you could reach up a touch them. Their sound reverbing thru the air, it just gets into you.
It's easy to get lost in the nostalgia of these great aircraft but their purpose was anything but. The men who they carried knew they had a good chance of never coming back.

 

[Major Kong]

Carnage in the skies.

You made a darn good point FlashHider,it IS easy to get lost in the nostalgia effect that these mechanical bits of history create.But one can only imagine the carnage that took place on these planes during wartime,thats all I will say.

 

[franks71vw]

Where in hell do you get to do this. FLorida Blows at least I havent found it if they offer these rides here... If I am going to go Id rather go in one of these then a 747 or soem modern bird... P-51 ahhhh

 

[Bill S]

Where in hell do you get to do this.

Franks, check out their website at http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm. They're based out of Stow, Massachusetts, which happens to be the small town where my father-in-law lives. But their planes are scattered at different airfields. They have a schedule of tours around the country - you might be able to synchronize with them for a ride.

 

[franks71vw]

my luck beginign of the year guess i will have to wait till next year

 

[xdevildog]

Don't give up yet, Franks. Check out www.eaa.org and follow the "programs" tab to their touring B17 "Aluminum Overcast". It travels thoughout the country during the summer giving tours and rides. Maybe it will be near you. I've been with my son and grandson and it is worth every penny.

 

[Ouchman]

My brother has a great affection for WW2 planes and the radios and radar they flew with. Although most of the planes have modern avionics he has restored some vintage back up avionics for a few of these vintage war birds. One I recall is named FiFi a B29 comes to mind. Somewhere I have a photo of my god child, his daughter "modleing" a .50 waist gun at 4 years old. Really cute photo looking like Shirley Temple. She's now a sophmore in college. If I find the photo I'll post it.

 

[AV8R]

love those bombers

I suppose it is only appropriate for me to chime in here. As one who is neck deep in the restoration of a B-25, I've got to tell you how much fun it is to research how these beauties were built and outfitted and then to restore it to original. In fact it was this that brought me to this site as you guys are a wealth of info on the armament side. Most of this stuff got stripped out of surviving aircraft when they found work in the 50's. Not so much the guns but the armor plate, the brackets that held the ammo boxes, survival equipment, all went into the garbage. Now you can't find this stuff. Anyway, the original radios are going back in and they will work. Not too many people to talk to on those frequencies anymore but what the h%ll. The fun part for me is seeing how close to original we can come. Right down to the crumpled up Lucky Strikes pack behind the seat!

 

[Belt driven]

Well when you get that crumpled pack behind the seat, give me a call for the live fire-fly by. Then we can get down to serious realism!

Talk about a board fund raiser. Somebody must have enough land out there for a range worthy of a B-25.

B-D

 

[morippums]

this brings back memories

This thread brings back some cool memories for me. When I was a kid our neighbor was the head mechanic/flight engineer for gentleman based at Chino airport in SoCal, and I actually got about 20 minutes of "Left Seat" time in his B-17. We were at the Hawthorne airport airshow in 1986 I think and we took off did the flyby for the crowd and then flew down the coast to Long Beach airport and we flew back to Hawthorne in an Antonov AN-2. I wish I could find the pictures I took. A lot gets shuffled around in twenty odd years. I remember a very cool shot of the Queen Mary I took out the pilots side window.

 

[moterman2]

B17 B24 & almost B25 rides.

Hi I have been up in their B24 & B17 the difference between the 2 planes is unreal the B17 is like a car & the B24 is like a drafty barn. How did those guys move around in their bulky flight gear? I gave up on my ride the B25 to get my M1919A4/A6. By the way is their a California OKed flash hider for the A6 anyone?
THANKS moterman2

 

[moterman2]

B17 B24 & almost B25 rides.

Hi I have been up in their B24 & B17 the difference between the 2 planes is unreal the B17 is like a car & the B24 is like a drafty barn. How did those guys move around in their bulky flight gear? I gave up on my ride the B25 to get my M1919A4/A6. By the way is their a California OKed flash hider for the A6 anyone?
THANKS moterman2

 

[SteelBelted]

Pictures now available.

The Nine O Nine was just like the planes in the old movies, no creature comforts. The radio and gear have no mikes and headphones. Would be nice if they were there, but then to many people would probably play with them.

Riding in the B17 really gives a person the feel of the ride those men had. How they aimed the .50 waist guns is beyond me. There must have been a trick to it. It was all I could to to hang on while looking out the opening.

Here are some pictures. This album contains other pictures too. Hope you like them. I only got four from the radio room on take off, then ran out of film. So no shots once we were up in the air.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/13545783

Kraig