Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Gliderjohn on May 09, 2016, 09:28:15 AM
-
Well I did it and booked a seat in the radio/waist gunner area of the Texas Raider B-17. It will be in Wichita next week. If all goes as planned my flight will be on Tuesday the 17th. Excited!
GliderJohn
-
Oh yeah! That was one of the coolest things I've ever done. A bucket list thing for sure.
I was lucky and got a 2hr flight from the winter maintenance facilty to the first stop on their tour. Just me and the two pilots. Plenty of time to spend at each of the stations of the plane, except tail gunner. A real chance to reflect on what it must have been like in the War.
Take ear plugs. Don't bump your head on the top turret while standing between the pilots seats.
Mark
-
John , you aren"t claustrophobic for sure :thumb:
Dusty
-
Sounds great. There is B-25 near me and I've been thinking of doing the same with it. You may have just pushed me over the edge. Let us know how your flight goes and don't shoot off your own wings.
-
Oh, man...you are one lucky guy! Wave at us!! :thumb:
-
sounds like fun
-
WELL DONE. I did that several years ago. Whatever you do be sure to get up and into the nose. UNREAL!
Those were some tough guys! It'll feel like you're in a washing machine. Bring earplugs. Seriously.
-
I went with a guy whose father flew 17's in Europe. My dad flew 24's out of Darwin. 44 combat missions.
-
I did a B-24 flight a few years ago-hard to believe how small everything was, and it was much roomier than the -17!
-
Quote from kingoffleece:
Whatever you do be sure to get up and into the nose.
Would love to but as I understand it I will not be allowed during the flight unless I want to pay $800 to ride in the nose. That is a bit rich for me. Plan to have earplugs and a camera. I have seen B-17 take offs and low passes at previous airshows so I have a bit of an idea how loud they are.
GliderJohn
-
Oh man. My uncle COL Harold F. Brown flew 35 combat missions as a B-17 pilot. Also did VIP ferry service for various generals, politicians and such including Tito.
Jealous. Need to do it.
-
I went up in the Collings Foundation's B-17 a few years ago. Well worth the $400 for an hour or so. I'll never complain about noise or accommodations in a commercial flight again... the good part of the deal was that there were no assigned seats. We were expected to rotate through all of the positions while in flight, sitting down only for takeoff and landing. Where is live (Martinez CA) has lots of refineries and other chemical plants and bridges -- looking at those from a bomber is an interesting perspective, to say the least.
I took two appropriate cameras, a 1933 Leica III with 35mm f3.5 Elmar (postwar so coated and as sharp as anything at f11-16) and 1957 IIIg with 50/2.8 (a little late but in the spirit) with b&w film. Photos follow. An amazing experience.
Remember that before the B-29, the 17 was the big one. Luxury accommodations... now imagine being at 25,000 feet wrapped in leather & sheepskin trying to breathe with guns on the ground and German fighters shooting at you. Not for the faint!
cr
(http://thumb.ibb.co/d25YTv/06_sm.jpg) (http://ibb.co/d25YTv)
Strap in on your pallet and get ready. (35)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/bzPSov/24_sm.jpg) (http://ibb.co/bzPSov)
Looking toward Marin County. (35)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/eCPcov/31_sm.jpg) (http://ibb.co/eCPcov)
Looking at this from a bomber is interesting... (35)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/h3v6gF/17_sm.jpg) (http://ibb.co/h3v6gF)
By luck I just happened to be in the bombardier's seat as we approached the Martinez-Benicia bridges. Mothball fleet before that. Can you say "target-rich"? (50)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/hLucov/19_sm.jpg) (http://ibb.co/hLucov)
And even a battleship! (now in LA) (50)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/jGPMFa/23_sm.jpg) (http://ibb.co/jGPMFa)
Mt Diablo with Pratt & Whitney radials. Lovely sound!
If you ever have the opportunity to do this, DO IT!!!
-
Nice pics!
-
I see. We also got to rotate around the plane to all positions. In addition a large opening was at the radio operators position. I could get me entire head out into the air stream and stuck the camera out there, too!
To get to nose of plane one needs to slide on belly between pilots and down into the front of the plane. In addition to a small radio and chart area there was two guns positions. This is all in a very cramped space. It must of sounded like holy h@!! when those 50 calibre guns were blasting.
I'm still astounded at how loud the plane was and the level of vibration. Not to mention that it seems like a tin can from the inside.
Never had an opportunity to ride in a 24. Someday hopefully before they are all grounded.
-
Take earplugs. Even if they give you a headset. Seriously. You've never heard noise till you've been in a 30s or 40s big aircraft with radials. I used to ride a PBY fairly often back in the 70s, and it's a gift that my hearing is still good.
That being said, it will be a blast, and I'm sure you'll be looking ten directions at once trying to take it all in!
-
I think the Collings -2 is the only one flying-but another may be on the way.
They have a 2 seat Mustang (my next plan) and an F4-and for a real treat a flying Me-262, on which you can qualify!
-
Please resist the urge to push any buttons or pull any levers. :laugh: :gotpics: :gotpics:
-
A Mustang ride would be the be all end all!
-
Wondering if that is same bomber as the one once based at Line Star Flight Museum.
Never rode it, wished I had. Will if rides are ever offered again.
Enjoy
:1: on ear plugs. Was really loud even from the ground.
Dave
Galveston
-
Take earplugs. Even if they give you a headset. Seriously.******** You've never heard noise till you've been in a 30s or 40s big aircraft with radials.***** I used to ride a PBY fairly often back in the 70s, and it's a gift that my hearing is still good.
That being said, it will be a blast, and I'm sure you'll be looking ten directions at once trying to take it all in!
You might try the engine room of a WWII submarine. :grin:
-
ll...my flight has been delayed to at least Wednesday but more likely Thursday due to weather. This waiting part is difficult. Kind of like waiting for Christmas when I was a little kid.
GliderJohn
-
To get to nose of plane one needs to slide on belly between pilots and down into the front of the plane. In addition to a small radio and chart area there was two guns positions. This is all in a very cramped space. It must of sounded like holy h@!! when those 50 calibre guns were blasting.
Is that the Navigator position?
My Dad was lead navigator of a squadron he led over to England (21yo) and then did 26? missions including an emergency landing in France. He's got some good stories that are finally being told..
His airbase in Eye England is just now dedicating a memorial to the US Airmen.. the cool thing is he does FaceTime with some of his friends over there.. yep facetime at 91 years old!
(https://photos.smugmug.com/Guzzi/i-MGmh36n/0/S/IMG_8875-S.jpg) (https://fotoguzzi.smugmug.com/Guzzi/i-MGmh36n/A)
-
What an opportunity and adventure! Talk about power... incredible torque... ride of a lifetime. Enjoy!
-
You might try the engine room of a WWII submarine. :grin:
Is that what they call "The Silent Service"? :wink:
-
Have a great time you lucky bugger!!! Tell them you're prepared to sit in the jump seat, 'cos if the engines quit you'll be just the guy to help, you've done heaps of unpowered landings !!
-
If you want a really cool log book entry try this:
https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/flight-experiences/aluminum-overcast-eaa-b-17-bomber-tour/b-17-flight-experience
I did this years ago, all I can say is, DO IT!!!!!! Also get a flight in a P-51D. Last time I did it cost was about $400 for half hour. Not bad when you consider it burns 60/hr at economy cruise, and eight hours of service/repair for every hour of flight. I flew in Gunfighter II with Gen, Regis Urshurler years ago when I lived in Wayne Ne. What a ride.
-
As of this evening I am booked for 4:30pm tomorrow. Weather looks promising. Keeping fingers crossed.
GliderJohn
-
As of this evening I am booked for 4:30pm tomorrow. Weather looks promising. Keeping fingers crossed.
GliderJohn
:thumb: We're pullin' for ya John .
We need an airplane emo :laugh:
Dusty
-
Don't forget your Speed Graphic and Foster Grants!
-
Is that what they call "The Silent Service"? :wink:
Can't talk about it. :evil:
-
WOW! It was great experience. Weather was perfect. Soon as we leveled off we could move about the plane except for the tail gunner position and the nose. I was surprised that it was not as loud as I thought it would be (loud enough) and vibration was not as bad as I expected. The open side windows did not allow all that much air rush through the fuselage with a 130 airspeed. However the engines are not ever running at full power. Still cannot imagine pulling missions in those things. Here are some pics.
The plane:
(http://thumb.ibb.co/e1LxMF/DSCN0174.jpg) (http://ibb.co/e1LxMF)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/bQYj1F/DSC03553.jpg) (http://ibb.co/bQYj1F)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/icgF8v/DSC03580.jpg) (http://ibb.co/icgF8v)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/cM641F/DSC03549.jpg) (http://ibb.co/cM641F)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/cP7cMF/DSC03572.jpg) (http://ibb.co/cP7cMF)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/eY3j1F/DSC03576.jpg) (http://ibb.co/eY3j1F)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/khSYva/DSC03574.jpg) (http://ibb.co/khSYva)
Crew and fellow passengers and clearing the engines (for those that have not met me I am am the black cap guy on the far right:
(http://thumb.ibb.co/b6FLaa/DSC03616.jpg) (http://ibb.co/b6FLaa)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/gOO6Fa/DSC03612.jpg) (http://ibb.co/gOO6Fa)
The business end of things:
(http://thumb.ibb.co/eD4faa/DSC03592.jpg) (http://ibb.co/eD4faa)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/eBNoTv/DSC03578.jpg) (http://ibb.co/eBNoTv)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/eiy6Fa/DSC03573.jpg) (http://ibb.co/eiy6Fa)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/mZQ8Tv/DSC03564.jpg) (http://ibb.co/mZQ8Tv)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/nMUDva/DSC03567.jpg) (http://ibb.co/nMUDva)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/chqa8v/DSC03566.jpg) (http://ibb.co/chqa8v)
The flight:
(http://thumb.ibb.co/c6kmFa/DSC03640.jpg) (http://ibb.co/c6kmFa)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/jKc0aa/DSC03645.jpg) (http://ibb.co/jKc0aa)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/hcM41F/DSC03642.jpg) (http://ibb.co/hcM41F)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/jLAa8v/DSC03651.jpg) (http://ibb.co/jLAa8v)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/gGkmFa/DSC03661.jpg) (http://ibb.co/gGkmFa)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/kF2iva/DSCN0164.jpg) (http://ibb.co/kF2iva)<br
-
For some reason I was cut out of the group photo when I posted it. Maybe I am a vampire. I am not the far guy on the right but that is me in the cockpit shot. really.
GliderJohn
-
In 1 day in September of `68 I was hoisted up to a helicopter on the fantail of our Destroyer off the DMZ of Vietnam and rode to our aircraft carrier(USS Bennington) for lunch. Then I was launched off our carrier in a twin engine ASW aircraft (0 to 100 in 3 seconds) to land @ Cubic Point in the Phillipines. After that ride I got on a C-47 and flew right over the top of the jungle to Clark AFB to finally stay on ground for 4 days in a tent waiting for a commercial flight back to Treasure Island so I could separate from active duty in the US Navy. This was right at the end of the summer of Flower Power in SF which I knew nothing about until I got back to the States. When you're on a Navy ship all you know is what they tell you. In the China Sea we couldn't pick up any radio signals.
-
A most excellent adventure! It's hard to think that there was a time when people dreaded flying in those things.
-
Whoopee John :bow: Closest for me was a trip in a KC97 being flown by the ANG early '70's . They were kind of cheaters with a jet on each wing tip and modern (by 1972 standards) avionics . Nothing like the sound of big recips spinning up , a bit envious down here in OK :thumb:
dUSTY
-
I am so jealous :bow:
Dave
Galveston
-
For some reason I was cut out of the group photo when I posted it. Maybe I am a vampire. I am not the far guy on the right but that is me in the cockpit shot. really.
GliderJohn
If you click on it, you're there, although the vampire theory sounds plausible, too.
-
Couple interesting items on board. Guess of purpose?
(http://thumb.ibb.co/nEFQ8v/DSC03625.jpg) (http://ibb.co/nEFQ8v)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/jWWXov/DSC03626.jpg) (http://ibb.co/jWWXov)
What's a bit of oil amount friends.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/nN31gF/DSC03614.jpg) (http://ibb.co/nN31gF)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/myxiva/DSC03615.jpg) (http://ibb.co/myxiva)
GliderJohn
-
Couple interesting items on board. Guess of purpose?
(http://thumb.ibb.co/nEFQ8v/DSC03625.jpg) (http://ibb.co/nEFQ8v)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/jWWXov/DSC03626.jpg) (http://ibb.co/jWWXov)
What's a bit of oil amount friends.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/nN31gF/DSC03614.jpg) (http://ibb.co/nN31gF)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/myxiva/DSC03615.jpg) (http://ibb.co/myxiva)
GliderJohn
The top pic is of an auxiliary generator used to produce electricity .
Dusty
-
That power unit reminds me of a story my friend told me.. My best friend (now gone) flew over to England in one. He was late to his plane ride over, and (Iceland I think) threw he gunny sack on the aux generator. Started a small fire, but he got it put out... Not off to a great start to his war effort.. :grin: He did get to fly it on the way over. He went on to fly 31 missions in a B-24 over Europe. Was in the 8th Air Force flying out of Bungay England. One base over from the one Jimmie Stewart commanded.
Bud did fly in the D day raids, first one was canceled do to bad weather.. I have the fight log in a pic.. Buds plane the Heinie Hunter(Willis in the pic) flew off the Col. wing on both missions That plane was the Red ass.. Why does this matter.. Turns out his was the first planes in on D-day.He was right out front of the whole 8th Air Force. (although not called the air force yet) His plane the second one he had was a all Silver B-24H with four bladed props. Only one he has ever known with that setup.. It was quite the unit. Power steering, electronic turbo superchargers, better everything over his old plane. (Wee Willie) Lost when he and his crew was on leave for winning a plane naming contest. Lost all the replacement crew during that week of leave.. Bud was one lucky fellow, and was in the Air Corp in 1939 before the war..
I had coffee with Bud almost every day, and I'd pick his brain on all those missions.. Quite interesting.. Even how he went from sweeping a blimp hanger out, to leading all the planes on D-day.. That's another story.. Along with the time he first got the new silver plane, and took it to 33 thousand ft. on his test drive.. :thumb: (unloaded) Still climbing, but stopped when the fuel pressure gauge started to flicker.. Pretty good with the davis wing on that thing..
Found his planes here.. The Hennie Hunter went down one month after Bud left England. He was lucky that way.. Sometimes making his own luck.. Another story..
http://www.aviationmuseum.net/704BS.htm
(http://thumb.ibb.co/hTgRFa/Untitled_17.jpg) (http://ibb.co/hTgRFa)
(http://thumb.ibb.co/ivJOva/June_7th.jpg) (http://ibb.co/ivJOva)
http://www.aviationmuseum.net/446BGImagesNoseart.html
-
In related news, there may be another old warbird offering rides soon - nearly 30 years of restoration work is coming to a successful conclusion with the FAA issuing a certificate to "Doc", a B-29.
See http://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/may/21/restored-vintage-world-war-ii-bomber-certified-to-/ (http://lasvegassun.com/news/2016/may/21/restored-vintage-world-war-ii-bomber-certified-to-/)
-
Good to see that you had fun. My dad only loaded them during WWII. Pacific. Ground crew. He admitted that flying around in something that leaked gas and had bombs in it wasn't a good idea. He stayed on the ground which included runway bomb disposal duty. Something he did twice. First time was easy. 2nd time was difficult.
-
Good to see that you had fun. My dad only loaded them during WWII. Pacific. Ground crew. He admitted that flying around in something that leaked gas and had bombs in it wasn't a good idea. He stayed on the ground which included runway bomb disposal duty. Something he did twice. First time was easy. 2nd time was difficult.
Rounding off I'd say 2/3 of the B-17 crews didn't come back alive. Their losses were higher than the Marines % wise. I knew a guy whose bomber got shot down on his 1st mission and he spent the rest of the war as a POW. At least he lived to tell about it.
-
Compared to you guys, I got nothing.
But, I did find a pair of sheepskin overpants with attached suspender straps in a thrift store in Denver circa 1979 - they were thick, fluffy, and had ARMY AIR CORP on them in gold. Wore those things through the winters until they were only shreds. I'd wear them again given the chance - made me look like Santa's badass cousin.
-
Compared to you guys, I got nothing.
But, I did find a pair of sheepskin overpants with attached suspender straps in a thrift store in Denver circa 1979 - they were thick, fluffy, and had ARMY AIR CORP on them in gold. Wore those things through the winters until they were only shreds. I'd wear them again given the chance - made me look like Santa's badass cousin.
The alternate shelter thing for your wife is making more sense every day :laugh:
Dusty
-
Great post!
-
Compared to you guys, I got nothing.
But, I did find a pair of sheepskin overpants with attached suspender straps in a thrift store in Denver circa 1979 - they were thick, fluffy, and had ARMY AIR CORP on them in gold. Wore those things through the winters until they were only shreds. I'd wear them again given the chance - made me look like Santa's badass cousin.
My father(bombardier on B-17) brought home 3 finger leather/lambskin? gauntlet gloves for gunners. We had them for decades. :smiley:
-
Couple interesting items on board. Guess of purpose?
(http://thumb.ibb.co/jWWXov/DSC03626.jpg) (http://ibb.co/jWWXov)
GliderJohn
That looks rather like a unit that would spool wire out that tube through the fuselage, likely for an antenna for long-range radio...
-
Damn, it's sexy when you talk like that...
:boozing:
-
ITSec is correct on the second pictured item. It is a low frequency UHF antenna.
GliderJohn
-
I booked a ride for my son a I in the Collings Foundation B-17 this past winter in Florida. It was a fantastic experience!! As others have stated, once the aircraft is up in the air, you are able to go almost anywhere within the aircraft. Of course, the most popular position was the navigator seat! Lol
One nice thing about the Collings Foundation is that it is a non profit organization. So out of the $400 price for the flight, only $75 is the actual cost, with the balance considered a donation!
Next winter I'm booking a flight in their B-24 Liberator...the last flying unit left!
-
Interesting lifetime experience. Thanks for sharing.