History B17 "Aluminum Overcast" Flight

I had an awesome experience to day I got to fly on a B17 Bomber "Aluminum Overcast". We took off from the Double Eagle Airport west of Albuquerque. It was an appropriatly overcast day but perfect for the flight.

Once airborne we circled of the city to gain al***ude and flew along the foot hills of the Sandia Mountain, over Sandia Laboratories and KirtlandAir Force Base. Over the Base we could see a B52 Bomber there for the Open House and air show Sunday.

It wasn't nearly as rough or loud as I expected and was a great flight. I think it would still be a great way to travel flying low level and seeing what you're flying over.

 

Awesome!

 

Living the dream man.

I love the fact that people have taken the time, money and pride to keep these birds alive!

 

This plane is owned and maintained by the Experimental Aircraft ***ociation. http://www.b17.org/

















http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VZClmj93cc

 

It's a once in a lifetime experience. I flew in it in 1998, out of Peoria ILL. The ride ended up being longer than was advertised. Last time I checked, the price for a ride had not gone up much, (if at all), since 1998. Do they still let you in the pilot's seat, during the flight?

 

We won't see the likes of those young men again.

 

i rode in her also about 5 years ago i to was surprised how quiet and smooth the plane was. the neatest picture we got was our shadow on the ground. that was me in a b17. also the arent very roomy inside. im on the big side and i couldnt cross over the bomb bay doors on that walkway. so i had to stay in the back. remember you will long remember the ride but you soon forget the charge card bill.

 

How can that plane fly around with such a small gas tank?????


Ha Ha.

-Jason.

 

Great pics. Love the Black & White shots. A couple of yrs. back the Collings Foundation brought a B-17 a B-24 (liberator) and a twin seat P-51 mustang trainer to Worcester airport. We didn't go up in them but got to see them fly over and land. Then we got to climb through both bombers. What a great experience !!!!

 

Now...just imagine being shot at...with a VENGENCE! Every time you went up...

 

Boy, seems the 17's are coming back to life by the numbers!!!! Love it. Can't wait to see Chino's Air Museum finish theres.

 

Cool. But you need a new camera.

 

Thats freaking sweet! I would love to fly around in on of them old bombers.

 

very cool

 

20 bucks says it's a Canon. Mine went that same way with the weird purple wobbly pictures.
Anyhow, cool ride!

 

i like the name.. heh, could not be truer words spoken
chris.

 

I had the opportunity to fly in her a couple of years ago in Long Beach, CA. On my flight the waistgun windows were completely open along with the roof hatch... It was just like flying in a roadster!!!


Keven-

 

More Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LEtQy1EC4k

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWpgRA1eSBA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QOadyzVH_8 <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

 

I have a newer one (Nikon D70) but they said to bring a smaller one because it's cramped inside the plane. And yes the one I used was a Canon. The B&Ws and sepias were taken with my Droid. Should have just used that one.

 

How cool. Real history and not many left.
Imagine that ride at 25,000 ft and the air temp is -40 degrees inside the aircraft, oxygen masks would freeze shut and need to be banged to open up.
First you had the un******ed missions where the German fighters had free access to you and your crew, then you had the flack over target....then you got to fly back thru the second wave of fighters.
The Army Air Corps had more Killed in Action in WW2 than the entire Marine Corps...just the air corps.
If you were wounded you had a great chance of frost bite/hypothermia from exposed flesh and your heated suit being inoperable.

 

everytime i see a B-17 i think of this short movie when i was a kid, where this guy got stuck in the belly gun, and he drew some big yellow cartoon wheels so they could land safely taking a ride in one of these is something i have to do!!

 

I remember that show. The landing gear was stuck too.

An older gentleman in our Car Club who used to be a pilot said the heated suits would alway short out in the arm pits and crotch!

 

new meaning to blue balls. hah..

thank yu for sharing the pictures, i think its great these old birds are flying .. unfortunately we did lose one this year in a crash. and these wont fly forever, the reason i think is cause aluminum starts to deteriorates? i dunno.. i hope they can keep flying for 100's of years..

***uming we are st il on this rock and not living in the stone age again heh.

chris.

 

Awesome ....next year, Im goin up too !!

Rat

 

My first ever plane ride was in the service in the early 60's. It was a prop jet cargo plane, bad weather, cold and noisey. Terrible ride and scared the living sh*t out of me. Not looking for a repeat performance.

 

History - very cool. Thanks Mr. Carey (old timer who flew one in the big one I always looked up to)

 

The Overcast flew into Kenosha WI. here a couple of weeks ago but after a flight with some news people and WWII vets, the FFA sent it back to Oskosh becouse it was leaking something. Anyway never got to see it and I was looking forward to it. How Cool!, thanks for posting.

 

I envy you,super duper mega cool.

 

Guess I'm suffering from short term memory loss.. DOH!
Which B-17 was it that burned down in a field not long ago???