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Those old war birds....

1K views 13 replies 13 participants last post by  Kirkus51 
#1 ·
A few years ago the was an air show at the regional airport nearby and they were offering a ride in a B17 for $500. I was intrigued but didn't spend the buckage but I kinda regretted it. After all who gets the chance to fly in a B17?

Anyway Have any of you guys had (or took) the chance to fly in a WWII war plane? And what was it like?

All this because I watched a Leno clip about a B17 this morning.

Just for chuckles lets throw in a hot air balloon ride too.
 
#4 ·
Many years back I was working concrete construction and we spent almost a year constructing lift towers at ski areas in Vermont- I was on a form crew building pads for the lifts. The company from Nevada that came east had two choppers- a Bell Ranger of some sort, and a Vietnam- era Sikorsky- a two rotor monster (Chinook?) that could lift 1-1/2 yards of concrete- that's about 7 tons, plus the bucket. The pilot was a veteran, and once asked me at the end of a day if I wanted to go on a "fuel run"- with a crew of four, we flew at what felt like treetop height from Killington Vermont to Bradley in Hartford, CT- he basically was riding the hills most of the way down and back. Very exciting and nearly vertigo inducing, particularly when we were empty on the south bound leg. Working from the forms and looking up as he would bring that bucket up and place the concrete EXACTLY where his ground guy wanted it- via radio- was amazing. Great experience and that ride was unforgettable
 
#5 · (Edited)
If it is any consolation i used to skydive out of Tiger Moths and DC3s. Does that count? i have been in a hot air balloon but never jumped out of one :(
 
#8 ·
31 years ago, for my 30th birthday my wife booked me a backseat ride in a P-51. It was at the Planes of Fame Air Museum in Chino California. it was $500.00 (these days a couple of grand) Jay Leno recently had a segment that he took the same kind of ride. Pretty special. Aerobatics till I couldn't take anymore. Pulled 4gs at the bottom of a loop straight up to weightless at the top. Wow.
 
#9 ·
Check the CAF website at commemorativeairforce.org. They're the ones that put the various tours and rides together, and their airplanes tour the country every year so there's bound to be another opportunity for you. When they were out here in CA a couple years ago they were giving rides on the B-17 "Movie Memphis Belle" (the one used in the movie, not the original 'Belle) for I think $350 for about 30 mins. They also had a P-51 giving rides for $1,500. Not many takers on the latter so you could stay up an hour or more.
Had a talk with the Mustang pilot and was interested to hear it's the only warbird you DON'T need a special license to fly.
Good luck getting another ride!
 
#10 ·
In 2002 I was part of an event called "A Gathering of Corsairs and Legends". During that event I was able to sit in several Corsairs and even got to fly in the jump seat of an F4U-5 along with another Corsair and a Skyraider with a B-25 as a photo ship. It was an amazing experience. I also volunteer up at the Oshkosh Air Show and today was one of my volunteer days. I checked in one of the Corsairs that I sat in 14 years ago and today the pilot let me sit in it again. Let's just say it was a pretty good day volunteering today. Oh and if you ever get to ride in a Corsair you'll be amazed at what those birds can do. Thrill of a lifetime.
 
#12 ·
I never flew in a warbird but my father was a pilot in WWII. He flew the B-26 Marauder in combat but had time in B-17s after the war. He said the 17 felt like a truck and shook like crazy. Wright engines in the 17, Pratt and Whitney in the 26.

Like most combat vets he rarely talked about the War but man he had some great stories about learning to fly and working at Piper Aircraft prior to his military experiences.

Joe
 
#13 ·
A couple of years before I retired from active duty the squadron I was in (VRC 30) did several airshows as the jump platform for the Leap Frogs (Navy Parachute team). As the Inflight Plane Captain I had to be with the plane. The way participants get treated at airshows is/was remarkable, like visiting royalty. Any how, during that summer (1990) I was able to bum a ride in a B25, a P51 that they guy fitted with an extra seat behind the pilot, a hot air balloon, a DC3 and probably the most fun I have ever had with my clothes on, a Pitts Special doing an aerobatic routine practice run. After 12 years as a P3 Flight Engineer and 3 years as a COD crewman I miss flying every time I see an airplane, so pretty much every day. :(

bob
 
#14 ·
As a kid (and I mean like 4 yrs old) my Mom dressed us up in our little suits with clip on ties and we boarded a DC3 flying to Gering from Denver (a 200 mile car ride). Don't know why we flew, but it might have been because my Grandfather died.
 
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