# Collings foundation B-17G and B-24J



## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

YIPPIE!!! this year I made up my mind to fly in the B-17G! it's a 30 min flight and 400.00 smackers isn't that bad when you look at it as 50.00 bucks a paycheck untill then end of june.

OH YEAH!!!

Has anyone here done this yet?

A few years ago when they were just up the street right after the B-24 took off a privetly owned P-51 also took off from the field......well after they landed some asked if the P-51 met up with them and they said It was AWESOME! it did for about 6 minutes and cameras were going off like nutz! man that would be sooo cool!

They tell me that after they level off you can move to different stations in the birds and the that the B-17 tail gunners station is off limits due to the tunnel size and saftey issues. I must admit that sitting in the tail turret of the B-24J during flight would be very interesting.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I get carsick if I face backwards. I'll take the nose, with maybe a few minutes in the top turrett.

Cool.

A few years ago they visited Teterboro Airport up here. I didn't know they were coming, but as I was driving up Rt 17 in Paramus Mall country, a plane overhead caught my eye. I always glance up to see what it is - and there was the unmistakeable outline of a B-17!! I almost caused an accident!


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Yeah....I know what you mean...

About 8 years ago qtan aka 'Steve' and I were working on his 70 Cougar and we heard this sound and the first thing I said was "Thats no Cessna or Beachcraft!" ...we looked up and at a very low altitude this B-17G flew right over his house! I remeber yelling "YAHHOO Go baby go!"! 

Right away I called the Museum of Flight and they told me what was going on and that the B-17 and B-24 were down here for display and for rides......I havn't heard of the Collings foundation untill then....so the very next day Steve and I were down there to check it out.

I forgot to post this link for their '05' schedule:

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_schedule-wof.htm

The next year my Wife and I went down for a photo opp:


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Wait, you're_ not _Chinese!?


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Not that I know of.....

But I did have Cup o noodles last nite.


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## ArizonaBB39 (Dec 4, 2004)

I think I've been to the B-17 and B-24 every time they fly in to Arizona. Someday I'll get enough money to take a ride in my favorite plane, the B-17...


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

We've gone and seen them every time they have come to NH. Climbing thru them and using a cane is neither easy nor anything short of painful but I wouldnt pass on it.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Sorry to hear about the cane situation  

The last time crawed through the B-17G it was towards the end of the day and not too many folks were around the the flight Chief said go right ahead...take your time. That was cool!


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## Sarge4109 (Apr 14, 2005)

I have been in both of those and i got pictures, Send me a message if you want them. Plus they had a privatly owned B-25 Mitchel with them!


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## Mike Warshaw (Feb 23, 1999)

Birthday present last November. They take 10 people up in the B-17G, which did not see combat, but is authentic. You sit for the takeoff. The top fuselage panel is open -- hold on to your glasses! You do get to move around. I had a shy group and managed to spend a good half of the flight in the nose. It's unbelievably cramped with a much smaller bomb bay than I expected; it seemed barely worthwhile to carry so few bombs so far. The biggest surprise is how close your head is to a lot of heavy-duty and sharp metal fixtures. They must have bashed their heads in every time the plane bounced.


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## qtan (May 29, 2001)

Yeah, that was a pretty fun day going through the B-17 and the B-24. I took something like 60 pics that day! My favorite is one looking out the nose of the B-17 from behind the bombardiers seat. I like to use a larger version of this pic as my wallpaper:









And, since he hasn't posted many (if any) pics of his better half, here's Fluke's wife from that same day:


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

That's why there were hundreds of B-17s in a mission - if they were carrying 1,000-pound bombs, they could only carry 4 each. The same amount that _two_ fighters could carry, with 5 times the men and 2 times the engines. And at half the speed.


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## roadrner (Jul 21, 1999)

fluke said:


> I
> The next year my Wife and I went down for a photo opp:


 
Fluke,
I don't recall what role you played in Mephis Belle. Great shot and love the Fortress! :thumbsup: rr


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

I wuz the guy throwing up in the air field 

I see that qtan had no problems posting a big color pic of my wife on the net....hmmmmmm.

She was at the waist gun position in the B-24J. We should do it gain this spring cuz we have both lost a lot of weight....her more than me 

That pic above that Steve took in the B-17G nose is really something! .....It should be on the cover of a book or something! :thumbsup:


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