My latest ride!!

[green69rt]

Some friends and I took a trip to Galveston, TX yesterday and hitched a ride on the monster below.  It is one of 10 B-17 Bombers in the world that still fly.   The second shows the bomb bay wiith some dud 500lb bombs.  The narrow catwalk is how crew get to and from the cockpit.  The third pic shows me sitting in the bombadier seat with my feet on a couple of 50 cal ammo belts for the front turrent guns.   The fourth shows the view out the bombadier bubble as we came in for the landing,  I got a funny feeling as the plane approched the runway and I had nothing under my feet.

What a rush!!

[tan top]

wow awesome stuff  , love them ole warbirds  , good pictures thanks for posting   

[green69rt]

While I was there I got some pic of the other planes that are available to ride.  This is the Lonestar Air Museum.

First pic is  B-25 Mitchell Bomber, same type that flew "30 Seconds over Tokyo".
Second Is a Stearman biplane.  Looks like a real blast to ride.
Third is a P-51 fighter.  It's the most expensive to ride, $1750 per trip but wouldn't that be something to tell about.  It also is the only one that does anything but level flight.

[chargerboy69]

Amazing pictures. . thanks for sharing. I would be lying if I said I wasn't jealous. 

[charge69]

Great pics and I am sure it must have been a one-of-a-kind amazing experience!

Someone I am still good friends with had a Stearman Biplane and kept it at the Baytown Airport near where he lived at the time. Beautiful old fabric-skinned biplane and a blast to ride in. As you know, the Stearman's passenger sat in the front seat. He would take unsuspecting passengers up for a ride and would fly around the top of the San Jacinto Monument to give them a thrill. As he was circling the Monument, he would suddenly go totally inverted and "shake"  the stick to make the plane shudder in the inverted position and scare the hell out of the passengers hanging only by their seat and shoulder belts and circling the Monument!

Needless to say, the word got around real quick not to ride with him!

Your pics bring back some good memories of him and there are some great pics of your B-17 ride and the other old warbirds!

[TruckDriver]

Cool! I love WWII planes 

[twodko]

This is my idea of a war bird!

www.c141heaven.info/dotcom/globemaster.php

[charge69]

Nice War Bird !!

[Finn]

That sounds so awesome. Ive always wanted to fly in a B-17. Also wouldn't mind a P-40. Easily two of my favorite warbirds.

[twodko]

Brothers you are missing the point here! Who gives a rats butt about the C-17 (awesome bird though), it's a low level crevasse recon! Jeez!

[Mopar Nut]

Thanks for sharing.

[polywideblock]

Brothers you are missing the point here! Who gives a rats butt about the C-17 (awesome bird though), it's a low level crevasse recon! Jeez!

[AKcharger]

 

[JB400]

If you contact your local EAA chapter, they will tell you when the B17 and the B29 are in your area.  Flights are pricey for such a short trip.

[green69rt]

If you contact your local EAA chapter, they will tell you when the B17 and the B29 are in your area.  Flights are pricey for such a short trip.

They do cost a lot but I'll probably only do it once and it does make a good story.

[Patronus]

I'd much rather jump out of them, meet up with my friends, and then kick some ass.     Follow me

[Bob T]

Good pics greenrt, Thanks for putting them up, looks like a fun day out.
I had a 30min ride in a Harvard a few years ago, with loops, dives, wing overs - the works, super cool, you can see how the fly boys get the 'hook' for it. Took some cool pics, have to dig them out.

[Fred]

Must have been quite an experience.   

[69rtse4spd]

Super cool, .

[green69rt]

I think one reason that I had such a good time is that the guys who keep these running have the same head space as those that love old Chargers.  We're both dedicated to our old machines.

[Fred]

I think one reason that I had such a good time is that the guys who keep these running have the same head space as those that love old Chargers.  We're both dedicated to our old machines.

Yeah, a different train of thought. One you can relate to.