Mini airshow

[mechanicx]

At a small local airport nearby, they have a B-17 Flying Fortress and a B-24 Liberator on display

. There was also suppose to be a P-51 Mustang but it didn't show up do to mechanical problems or something.

This was a chance to get up close without any big crowds since it was just the 2 aircraft. I got there and they were closing down to fly off due to an approaching storm, and were going to come back if the storm blew over. I guess they didn't want to chance any hail damaged and the hangers weren't big enough there. The B-17 started up on the other side of the fence and emitted lots of smoke and what felt like 60 mph or so gail force winds

.

It seemed like the rain would never stop so I left. The rain stopped about a half hour later and I went back. I got to climb through the planes. It is pretty cramped in there, especially in the gun turrets and the bomb bay which you had to squeeze and crawl through across a catwalk. Imagine with a crew of 10+. And boy was it hot inside since it was a hot, sunny and humid day.

The neat thing was for $425 you could take a flight. Other people did, a lot of old guys. The price was a little too steep for me. So I watched them take off and land. The Mustang, if it had been there, would've been the flight to take. It is the only dual control in existence and gives you a much better view than the bombers, which besides the cockpit about only have windows at the gun locations. I think it is about $1500-2000 partly because only one passenger can be taken up opposed to about 10 on the bombers.

I liked the B-17 betetr than the B-24 overall.

 

[dkryan]

What airport was that at, mechanix?

A fellow pilot and me went to Lancaster, OH a few years ago and paid to not just fly in, but actually fly, a B-17 named the Aluminum Overcast.

What a thrill! I have the time logged in my logbook by the PIC.

What I found interesting (other than the great historical perspective) was that while aileron response rolling into a turn was quite smooth, it took some effort to roll out of that same turn. And a touch of rudder didn't do squat to help the required effort.

Having flown that beauty and being an avid historian of the air war during WWII, I have an even greater respect for the efforts of the aircrew to fly, fight, and get back to base after each mission.

At 6'2" tall and 205 lbs., imagining myself in flight gear and a parachute in a B-17 left no doubt any chance of me successfully bailing out of that bird during a WWII mission would have been highly unlikely.

At least not from the pilot(s) or bombardier's position.

 

[mechanicx]

The airport was Bolton Field. I think this B-17 was Nine O Nine , and the B-24 was Witchcraft. Someone mentioned they came from the Cleveland Airshow that was recent.

Wow, flying one sounds much better than just flying in the cramped fuselage area with everyone else. That would be more like the P-51 dual controls flight. How much does that cost?

I know what you mean about trying to bail out, especially for a taller person. I'm about your size. I seen war footage where the enemy fighter plane's camera show it strafing the fuselage from the back and then the engines and guys are seen bailing out. How they dodged past all those incoming machine gun rounds and managed to bail out is surprising.

 

[dkryan]

I don't remember the exact cost, but I do recall some pain in the wallet. But it was well worth it, considering it was an opportunity I thought would never happen.

Bailing out of the waist gunners' or engineer's position would have been doable. Ball turret? Horse jockeys only, please.

 

[tenderloin]

My son knows a gentleman (Chuck Hall) who owns a P-51 based in Ramona. Here are two short clips of his ride as a back seater.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyT6lsvXkQs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTi9cEdQUjo&feature=channel

Here is Mr. Hall and his Mustang during their last flight as the P-51 in The Heritage Flight seen at airshows.

http://www.asb.tv/videos/view.php?v=0bd175e2&sortby=score&a=search&keyword=chuck hall

 

[Summerwind]

I Love those old WW2 aircraft..Back in the 80's while in college, I went to what was to be a "Static Display" at the Quad Cities airport. GF and I got there, walked around, and I happened to ask some folks sitting under a B-25 if there were any other aircraft comming in. They said yes, we are supposed to have a P-40 Warhawk come in, but he hasn't arrived yet. Not long after, I heard a "growl"..Looked up and around and saw the Warhawk make a pass before putting his wheels down. That man was so smooth on the controls that you could not tell when that P-40 stopped flying and started rolling. As luck would have it, he was going to be taxing and "parking" only 50 yards from where I was standing..As he turned toward us, "everyone" just kept backing up and backing up..I was the only goofball who kept walking closer (a safe distance) from about 30 yards away, I got to watch and listen as he locked the brakes and ran that V12 Allison up too full power for a moment After he shut her down, I walked over to the plane (wanting to really see it before it was roped-off) The pilot climbs out of the cockpit, sees me, gives me a strange look and then I ask Him, "Thats an "F" model isnt it?? His face broke into a big grin as He nodded and said yes. He said "common over" I got to sit in the cockpit, and He gave me a personal "tour" of her inside and out I'll never forget that. That P-40 was so clean, one could have literaly eaten off of it.