# My B17 flight story!!



## StriperAddict (Oct 18, 2007)

My B17 flight story!!

(My pictures will not do this story the justice it deserves.  We did not have our camera along at the time, and had to use a one time cam 
with no flash for the shots.  These have been scanned from glossy prints, and with just a touch of Paint Shop editing and some cropping.)

On October 13, 2007, I was pleasanty surprised by my wife, who, after dragging me outta bed Saturday morning, 
drove us over to see a real B17!! Once there, we waited for the plane to return from it’s first morning passenger 
flight. After talking with several folks about the plane, the B17 landed on the runway and rumbled along until coming 
to a stop. 







We were quickly presented with an opportunity to take a ride in this plane, so we jumped at the chance!! Within a 
few minutes we were aboard the "Aluminum Overcast"!






While we awaited the takeoff, we strapped ourselves in the old style seats.  Then, the engines started and the 
plane did a "shaking of sorts", as if groaning and straining to be released from the bonds of earth.  
A B17 flight cannot be put rightly into words... you’re entire being is captivated by the surroundings of this once 
great icon of the 20th century!  

_The cockpit with Pilot and Co-pilot:_






We flew over Lake Lanier on the 25 min. flight.  For about two min., each passenger had a chance to crawl under the 
pilot’s area and got right to the nose of the plane!  Note the bombardier equipment!






_Here are two of my favorite outside shots…!!_










Finally…  a word to the wise:  DON’T mess with my wife… !!!  






“The Story”  part 2:

This historic World War 
II aircraft is owned by the Experimental Aircraft Association and tours throughout 
the country.  On this day, it was stationed at Gwinnett County Airport – Briscoe 
Field, in Lawrenceville, GA. 

How can you not be in awe of the few 80-year old men left alive today that did 
some pretty  incredible things when they were 18 years old. They sat inside a metal 
tube, 10 feet in diameter, 25,000 feet above the earth,  with the temperature as 
low as 50 degrees below zero!  A loaded B17 flew at 170 mph, surrounded by 
2700 gallons of high-octane gasoline and nearly 3 tons of high explosives, with 
enemies “in the air” (fighter planes) and “on the ground (flak) shooting at you for 
several hours of the mission. 

These brave men made an incredible mark toward securing victory for the allied 
forces.  One crewman said a woman from Germany told him that when she was 
around 9 years old, she would hear a squadron of these mighty planes…  for over 
4 hours overhead…  and she knew then that Germany could not possibly win this 
war!


Over 12,000 B-17s were produced between 1935 and 1945. Almost 4800 were lost 
during combat missions during the war. Today, less than 100 examples of this 
magnificent airplane exist, and of those,  less than 15 can still fly. 


_B-17 Aluminum Overcast In Action…_

http://www.b17.org/flight/video/01-B17_hi.asf


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## rip18 (Oct 18, 2007)

Awesome story!  Cool pix too!  I'm glad you at least had a one-time camera with you!  Thanks for sharing!


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## DRB1313 (Oct 18, 2007)

Great story and pics. Thanks for sharing you exprience with us.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 18, 2007)

Here's a true tale I just posted yall will enjoy...

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?p=1527841#post1527841


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## ronfritz (Oct 18, 2007)

...great pictures and accompanying story.  Hate to say this because my association with you guys has results in a rapid expansion of my list of things to do before I get too old to do them....but I gotta add one of those B-17 rides to the list.

Thanks for the pictures and the story.


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## StriperAddict (Oct 18, 2007)

ronfritz...  go, man, go!  You won't regret it!

You can get the plane's details and schedule here:

www.b17.org

It may not be up this way for a while, but we plan on going again


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## Holton (Oct 19, 2007)

Cool pictures and story


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## dutchman (Oct 19, 2007)

Addict, I'm jealous! What an opportunity! Great photos!!!


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## Nugefan (Oct 19, 2007)

great pix ....

I love the ones from the top gunner ......


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## Dub (Oct 19, 2007)

That is really cool.

Thanks for posting this one.


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## Hoss (Oct 19, 2007)

Awesome.  I'm glad you had a camera to get some photos to share cause that's just awesome.

Hoss


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## StriperAddict (Oct 19, 2007)

Hoss said:


> Awesome.  I'm glad you had a camera to get some
> photos to share cause that's just awesome.
> 
> Hoss



I'm gonna recommend that these folks sell a one time DIGITAL camera 
_with_ flash at thier concession table.  It was our fault we didn't pack 
our digital (or a good 35mm) for this trip, our only dissapointment of the day.

On a positive note, someone else from EAA was there shooting the plane 
and offered to pass along some shots via email.  At the EAA evening low country 
boil dinner  she also took photos of a B17 flight journal, I'd be happy to post 
em' if I get them.


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## FERAL ONE (Oct 19, 2007)

awesome trip and story!!! at falcon field in peachtree city , you can go on warbird rides. i think the p51 ride is 895.00 for 20 minutes air time.  if i ever had too much money AND not enough sense. i would jump on that like a cat on a junebug!!!


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## OkieHunter (Oct 19, 2007)

That must have been an Awsome flight, I got a chance to fly in the B-29 that was used in the movie about the atom bombings and it was an awsome flight. The best flight I have ever had was in a P51 Mustang at a local air show, it was far better than any roller coaster I had ever been on. Those old war birds are just magnificent


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## StriperAddict (Oct 19, 2007)

FERAL ONE said:


> awesome trip and story!!! at falcon field in peachtree city , you can go on warbird rides. i think the p51 ride is 895.00 for 20 minutes air time.  if i ever had too much money AND not enough sense. i would jump on that like a cat on a junebug!!!



Glad you posted this cuz it helps take some 'weight' off, as to what we paid  ...  a lil' less than 1/2 the P51 price PP,  and we could roam around the plane during flight  !

If you tell me you had some piloting _control _of that P51 ...  that would be a different story


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## SHOOT FREAK (Oct 20, 2007)

given your self away there duchman.


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## Flash (Oct 21, 2007)

Great post, thanks for sharing


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## jason308 (Oct 21, 2007)

Nice shots and thanks for the great history too!!!


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## gacowboy (Oct 21, 2007)

That had to be an awesome opportunity!! Great pics, thanks for sharing!


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## StriperAddict (Sep 15, 2011)

I was doing some reminis'n 'bout this bucket list thing I did back in '07, and had to give this another kick. 

I hope the plane is here again this fall.  We may not ride it, but it would be great to see her again.

Enjoy...


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## Hoss (Sep 15, 2011)

Worth bringing back.  

Hoss


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## seeker (Sep 15, 2011)

Wonderful story, thanks for posting.


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## quinn (Sep 15, 2011)

Cool flash back!thanks for taking us along!i would look at these in b&w and sepia!


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## Crickett (Sep 15, 2011)

That's awesome! I wasn't a member back in '07 so I'm glad you brought this back up! Love the next to the last shot!


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## rayjay (Sep 16, 2011)

This is probably the best pic I have ever shot.


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## StriperAddict (Sep 16, 2011)

quinn said:


> Cool flash back!thanks for taking us along!i would look at these in b&w and sepia!


 
The twin engine shot ought to be great in sepia, with a little more contrast.  I have paint shop pro...  but my expertise is not at all like your train photos, so feel free to do your magic!


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## rayjay (Sep 16, 2011)

Here is another B17 pic. This second pic is a pic of the place the first pic was shot from. This second pic was shot from the subject of the first pic


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## cornpile (Sep 17, 2011)

Totally Awesome shots.............


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