B-17G Flight - Collings Foundation "909"

**danno81** · 12-20-2013, 05:00 PM

Here are some photos of a flight I took on a B-17G from the inside of the aircraft which show the interior of the plane while in operation. This bird is owned by the Collings Foundation, The Collings Foundation - Preserving Living Aviation History for Future Generations which is a group that restores and flies many aircraft from different eras. They just acquired a P-40B Warhawk which is a "Pearl Harbor" Survivor, and they also have aircraft such as the F-4 Phantom, the F-100 Supersaber, a B-24 Liberator, A-4 Skyhawk, Huey and numerous other aircraft they provide rides in but the jets are cost prohibitive to go up in. Here in the states they have one of the few ME-262 flying copies/reproductions and are currently restoring a FW-190 to flying status. I understand they also recently acquired a wonderful Armor Collection which will be added and many of the vehicles are operational. We currently have a battle going here between those who fly these aircraft and the government who licenses them to take passengers up. I am hoping their flight certificates don't get yanked as it is a wonderful experience to fly in one of these things for the aviation buffs interested which if a WWII Bomber, is windy, you can smell the exhaust, fuel and hydraulics somewhat, and the entire thing vibrates with the 4 Wright Cyclones in the B-17 all spinning. I'd love to try the B-24 at some point also that they give rides in, and they allow you to move around the aircraft once it is up. The view from the bombardiers station is outstanding. Anyway - for those interested, here are some photos of the flight. I pulled 2 photos down from the net showing the aircraft which I didn't take but display the artwork on the side and show the plane in flight.

The photos in this series will take you from the cockpit where I was during takeoff - up to the bombardiers and navigators station, back to the cockpit and upper turret with those views, through the bomb bay - and into the radio operators compartment with an "open" area where you can stick your head out into the airstream for some great "exterior" photos of the plane in flight, back into the waist gunners position showing the top of the ball-turret which we could not access, and you would NOT want to even try… and then there are some views of the B-24 they were flying this day.