[quietolong]

Here’s a chance to see a true classic. And shake you head as you stand in the top turret. trying to imagine a ME-109 diving down as you try to hit it. And wonder How & the heck they did it.

The B-17 is my Favorite aircraft With the E & Gs Being the best looking Airplane ever made.

I had a Great Uncle that flew 50+ missions in the tail of one of these birds

Do you want to know how to fly a B-17

http://www.zenoswarbirdvideos.com/B17.html

Take a virtual tour of a B-17

http://www.b-17.com/

I have taken the ground tour of the B-17 And it gives you a new appreciation of these guys that were in these planes as MEs came in and 20mm coming at you. Next time you watch 12 O’clock High you’ll be thinking. how did Sergeant Kamanski ( ? spelling ) keep from shooting his tail off. ( humming the theme as I type )

Vets relive B-17 flights (World War II Bomber)
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ad3cb0057b1.htm

[Echo Talon]

[MediaMole]

how did Sergeant Kamanski ( ? spelling ) keep from shooting his tail off.

There was an interlock that shut off the guns when they would hit parts of the aircraft.

[SoCalPol]

A relative of mine from Wisconsin was a B-17 pilot
in WWII He named his plane the Tomahawk Warrior
for the town he was from.
He and his crew went down with their plane rather than
have it crash into a town in England.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Had an uncle who flew in a B-17 over Italy and North Africa in WWII. He never spoke much about his adventures in WWII but he said it was a thrill to fly in the B-17.

[claudiustg]

Do you get a parachute?

[Tom A]

While the ground tour is interesting enough, everyone needs to save up $395 and take the flight once in their lives. (The money helps keep these babies flying so folks can get the smallest taste of what a mission by the Mighty 8th was like).

I took a ride on "Sentimental Journey", run by the Confederate..... oops, I mean "Commemorative" Air Force based in Texas. Takeoff on a commercial airliner is a pretty flaccid experience compared to the vibration from all those piston engines revved at the end of the runway. A B-17 without a bomb load can scoot pretty briskly too!

During the flight, we passengers cycled around through all available locations (no tail gun or belly turret, sorry). Big thrill is sitting at the bombardiers stool in the greenhouse in the nose with the whole earth spread below you. (That was one of my dad's jobs, the other was at the navigator's station just behind.) Yep, you get to play with the Brownings at the waist & nose too.

Now, you can get a reasonable and free thrill by standing in the prop wash on the ground, but there's nothing like the real thing. Just do it!

[agitator]

What people don't realize is how cramped it is inside one of those things. A B17 looks hugh until you get inside one of them. Walking the catwalk between the bomb racks gives you a good idea. How the tailgunner fit in there, I don't know.

[tophat9000]

Looks to be a very late G model with staggered waist guns & Cheyenne tail turret

[Xanadu2112]

My grandfather flew his 24 over Germany in a B-17 named the Nedralind. I always look for pics of 17's that might have that written on the nose cone.

[Central Scrutiniser]

Is that the Sentimental Journey from Mesa, Arizona? Its been out on tour lately.

[EGPWS]

I'm almost tempted!

Although I have worked on and been in a B-17, I have never flown in one.

What an experience it would be!

[chuckles]

The B-24 could fly circles around the 17 with a heavier bomb load. The 24 flew more missions than the 17's, yet they always get the press. My dad died a couple of years ago and that was his main complaint in life. He was a ball turret gunner in a 24. I just figured I would put HIS 2 cents in. He made 30 missions in a 24 over Germany and it always brought him home in one piece. Most of the missions were in the "Male Call". Google will find it if you want to look at it. I don't even know if there is a flying model anymore. I heard they found one in India still flying cargo but am not sure.

[Finalapproach29er]

Likely will also be at air show @ Flying Cloud airport in Eden Prairie,MN (near MSP) on July 23,24.

I went last year and it was a thrill for a cynic like me.

I met one of Doolittles Raiders! I was in awe of the guy.