my walk thru a B-17!!!

Hey Erich,
The B-24 is going back on the tour they said but I don't where or when! I'm heading back home on Monday, so no more fun with all these great veterans in southwest Florida! back to the cold and reality! I'm keeping an eye on the website though, maybe this summer they will bring those beautiful things up north!!

 

I've walked through several B-17s, and it seemed cramped to me in the summer wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Then, I try to imagine how it must've been for the crew during bail out, encumbered by their heavy and bulky flight jackets and pants, their vision constricted by goggles while looking for their parachute packs to strap on with thick gloves, in a plane that might be diving or in a spin, and trying to make their way to either the rear exit door or to the (perhaps) open bomb bay or to the exit hatch up front. Then I appreciate how cramped it really was.

 

I've been in that very same B-17. It came up to Schenectady airport a few years back. Really cool walking through it. Especially across through the bomb bay. Can you imagine doing that at 25,000 feet? I have been in one other B-17 also a few years back that I believe was at Schenectady airport as well. It was at one of these events that the Heinkel 111 that was used in the film Battle of Britain was suppost to show up along with the B-17 but unfortunately could not make it.

The most meaningful part for me though was being inside the nose in front of the aircraft. This is where my Grandpa,as a young lieutenant, sat navigating the plane over the course of 51 missions over Germany. The stories he told me about Fockwulfes diving straight at him took on a whole new meaing when I was actually sitting there where he sat.

 

Hey Miller!
That sounds like an interesting story! You need to start a thread and let us know about that and other stories in more detail! I would love to read about them!!

 

Scott they usually have both 4 engines up together so you should see them this summer on tour from city to city. Miller is your grandad still with us ? What bomb group did he serve with ?

E ~

 

I'm gonna watch for that! Thanks Erich!!