C’est tres cool! I couple of years ago I heard and saw some odd aircraft flying low and slow over Oakland, CA. Craning my neck out of the car window I surprised the heck out of my wife and baby by blurting out “Holy crap! It’s a B-17!” This very aircraft… Sounds like a great time! I got to ride in a blimp once which was a real treat .
It was. What really made it spiffy was that the hatch over the radio operator was removed, so the plane was like a convertible. I can assure you that a camera is a bit of a challenge to hold on to at an airspeed of 140 or so MPH. Sadly the bombardier’s glazed nose position was pretty badly bug-splattered, so none of the forward photos are any good.
I was in Portland OR last spring and was surprised to the Liberty Belle flying over. They do tours for paying customers too, and I wish I had known that it would be there at the same time as me!
Scott, I’d love it if you wrote more about what it felt like to be on the plane in flight. Your photos were great, but they don’t tell us what it felt/sounded/smelled like! Share with us earthbound mere mortals!
Another interesting one they keep there is the Ju-52. I got to walk around this one too…the upper
gunner’s hatch near the tail was covered up by a clear window. One interesting fact that I did not find out
until later was that some of them were equipped with a gunner’s basket which hung below the wings
between the main landing gear.
If it cost what it cost me when I rode in the Collings Foundation ‘ Nine-O-Nine’, I’m really surprised they didn’t take the time to clean the nose. I would hold up the old Revell 1/72 Memphis Belle kit when I was a kid and try to see through it and imagine what it would be like to ride in the bombardier position. When I finally got to, it was, to borrow a phrase, the most second most fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on.
Sweet! I hope to have a chance to do the same someday.
Very cool!
C’est tres cool! I couple of years ago I heard and saw some odd aircraft flying low and slow over Oakland, CA. Craning my neck out of the car window I surprised the heck out of my wife and baby by blurting out “Holy crap! It’s a B-17!” This very aircraft… Sounds like a great time! I got to ride in a blimp once which was a real treat .
> Sounds like a great time!
It was. What really made it spiffy was that the hatch over the radio operator was removed, so the plane was like a convertible. I can assure you that a camera is a bit of a challenge to hold on to at an airspeed of 140 or so MPH. Sadly the bombardier’s glazed nose position was pretty badly bug-splattered, so none of the forward photos are any good.
you lucky fellow…
Fantastic! I rode the same plane in Seattle.
I got to walk around in one that travels around for shows. I think they keep it at Harlingen,Texas.
I was in Portland OR last spring and was surprised to the Liberty Belle flying over. They do tours for paying customers too, and I wish I had known that it would be there at the same time as me!
Scott, I’d love it if you wrote more about what it felt like to be on the plane in flight. Your photos were great, but they don’t tell us what it felt/sounded/smelled like! Share with us earthbound mere mortals!
Another interesting one they keep there is the Ju-52. I got to walk around this one too…the upper
gunner’s hatch near the tail was covered up by a clear window. One interesting fact that I did not find out
until later was that some of them were equipped with a gunner’s basket which hung below the wings
between the main landing gear.
If it cost what it cost me when I rode in the Collings Foundation ‘ Nine-O-Nine’, I’m really surprised they didn’t take the time to clean the nose. I would hold up the old Revell 1/72 Memphis Belle kit when I was a kid and try to see through it and imagine what it would be like to ride in the bombardier position. When I finally got to, it was, to borrow a phrase, the most second most fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on.