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A wonderful B-17 experience...


rustywings
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rustywings, great pictures! I can't imagine being able to ride on one of these. Have you checked out the Collings Foundation "Wings of Freedom" tour the last time they were at the William Lyon Air museum? http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_schedule-wof.htm I went last year, I didn't do the flight, but got to tour the B17 and B24 they had on parked on the tarmac. It's pretty amazing to see and hear these planes up close. They had the 2 seater P-51 there too.

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Thank you ChooChoo for the information. Between the Liberty Foundation, the Collings Foundation and the Commemorative Air Force,

there are a number of ways to experience one of these legendary warbirds up close and personal.

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yeah, no problem. It's one thing to see them in the museum, but it's another to be able to climb aboard and touch them. Then to see them in flight is, not to sound too corny, but something almost magical. I'm sure it's on another level to actually fly in one.

 

Have you been out to Chino to check out the Planes of Fame museum? They have a "living history flying day" every first saturday of the month. I'm planning on taking my boys out there one day.

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Wonderful show, Russ! What a great opportunity!. Thanks for sharing. I'll never forget my flight in "Texas Raider". Bobgee

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Thank You very much Rustwing for the B17 pic's! My uncle was a tailgunner in one, when he flew with the 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron.

Semper Fi

Phil

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Hi Russ

Thanks for the pics of such a awesome plane.Glad you had a good time.It must have been a once in a lifetime time experience.Someday I hope to have the chance to do the same.FYI Gillespie Field is only a few mins from where I grew up and still have family.Jay

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Choochoo,

 

I've been to the 'Planes of Fame Museum' several times and really enjoyed it! They have several WWII era Cal Aero Contract Flight School displays which are terrific. I'm sure your boys will have a great time at one of their "Living History" shows.

 

Bobgee,

Thank you Sir...that means a lot coming from you! The B-17 'Texas Raider' with that imposing chin turret is an equally beautiful warbird!

 

Phil,

Your Uncle deserves a tip-of-the-hat! I can't imagine the 'tight spots', both literally and figuratively, a B-17 tail gunner must have endured!

 

Jay,

You were a lucky guy being so close to Gillespie Field, Miramar and North Island! Airshows abound!

 

Thank you all for your responses.

Russ

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Great going Russ.Congrats on your flight,how cool is that,and a tip of the hat to John for making it happen.It looks really nice , a lot of work to keep a 4 engine war bird flying. Thanks Russ Thanks John for asking Russ to post his pictures. Mike

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Great photos. Thanks for sharing them. I always enjoy hearing what others thought of their time.

I went up in Aluminum Overcast about 8 years ago. After doing some in flight exploring I ran across 2 AAF vets sitting in the back of the plane. I asked if they were enjoying their flight. One of them looked at me and said it was a lot better when people were not shooting at you. I laughed and he proceeded to tell me he was a B-17 co-pilot in the ETO. It made my ride even more special and a day I would not forget.

 

JD

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Russ, thanks for posting the great photos and story.

 

I am so glad that it all worked and you were able to ride a long with us on our

positioning flight to Camarillo.

 

It was a perfect day to fly!

 

The 2014 season is now over and the Liberty Foundation had a fantastic year.

 

Looking forward to 2015!

 

Russ posted it earlier, but here is the website again, schedule will start to post by the spring-

 

http://www.libertyfoundation.org/index.html

 

 

 

Best, John

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  • 1 month later...

Thanks for sharing.

 

Several years ago, I took a ride on "Nine-O-Nine" (the Collings Foundation's B-17). If any of you get the chance (check their website for their annual tour schedule) to take a ride, do yourself a gigantic favor and sign-up. It's a little pricey, but truly worth several times the cost. I took both video and still pics as I moved from duty station to duty station during the flight and I review them often.

 

Even after the ride, it is hard to imagine bomber crews spending 8-10 hours in minus 20-40 degree weather on a bombing mission.

 

I've also been fortunate to speak with Capt. Robert Morgan on several occasions. I once asked him, "Captain Morgan, you've flown both the B-17 and the B-29. Which plane did you like better?" He responded, "The B-29 was a nice airplane with pressurized and heated interior. But the B-17, now that was a pilot's airplane."

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  • 3 weeks later...

Russ , Thanks so much for the photos, Its the closest I will ever get to a flight in the big bird. What a once in a lifetime experience !! Jim

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  • 3 years later...

Fantastic thread, my wife surprised me with a ride on the Aluminum Overcast for my 60th birthday. Rode on it last July in Oshkosh Wi. Fulfilled one of the items on my bucket list. When I was a kid watching 12 o'clock High I always thought man I want to be on one of those!

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 years later...
  • 1 year later...

With Masters of the Air starting soon, it seemed like a good time to bump this one back to the top.

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