TL/DR: Flew on a B-17 and loved it! Gave LaRue swag to the crew.
One of my bucket list items, since I used to go to the Armed Forces Open House Air Shows at Andrews AFB in the ‘80s, was a ride on a B-17; I can now check that off the list! A person posted in the hometown forum that B-17G “Sentimental Journey” was at the Culpepper, VA regional airport so I knew I had to make the trip and get a flight. I called the flight coordinator and reserved the bombardier’s seat so I could have the proverbial “front row seat” for this once in a lifetime treat.
I arrived early to tour the grounds and plane and speak with the pilots and ground crew. We talked about the plane and its history, how they did the restore and some details about the upcoming flight. When our flight time arrived, the ground crew prepared the eight passengers by going over the flight route, rules and that we’d fly at 1,000AGL, and then they spent a couple of minutes telling us about the crews that flew these great planes and what it was like on a typical mission. We were dead silent thinking about the young men and the conditions they endured to fly these missions while fighting for freedom. We boarded the plane with six people taking positions in the waist gun areas and myself and my flight mate ( a lady who was a formed Army MP and who also had a bucket list) taking the navigator and bombardier seats (I took the bombardier’s seat on the takeoff and half the flight then my flight mate took it for the remaining flight and landing).
What a feeling when they started those Wright-Cyclone radials, it was amazing sitting there shaking to those four engines; I guess if I had a Harley I would have been better prepared. We taxied out and before turning on the active the pilot stopped, did a brake check and then revved the engines and held them at power – what a feeling! We turned onto the runway and then it was full power, down the runway and takeoff. We rolled out to the left and made a leg to Warrenton and then back to the field for a simulated bombing run and then another couple of legs until we returned and landed. The flight lasted 30 minutes and it was pure joy; I should have taken those flying lessons the wife offered so many years ago.
I exited the plane and even though it was only 30 minutes in the air, I needed a few minutes to get my land legs back. Imagine if I was in the air 12 hours at -20 degrees and 30,000 feet on a mission to Schweinfurt. I thanked the crew for a great experience and left them some LaRue BETs! There was a second flight 30 minutes after ours with a WWII Army Aircrew member on that sortie; I'm sure the crew took care of him!
Some pics and vids of the day:
WWII Vet:
Still stylin' in his shined shoes!
They also had a non-flying Avenger on the grounds.
Starting the number 3&4 engines:
Takeoff:
Landing:
Takeoff of the 1400 flight: