The reflective vests are worn by local EAA volunteers
Majestic, simply majestic
We saw families like this - bringing the veterans back to relive the memories
We entered the airplane through the rear door, just like some of the crew would have done in WWII
Breaking ground on a cloudy mountain day
Radios are located behind the bomb bay
Three of us sat in the Radio Operator/Navigator's stations for takeoff and landing. We could move freely about the airplane while it was in the air
Stack of WWII radios
Radio Operator position, taken from my seat while on takeoff
Same seat belts used in WWII
Oxygen system. The B-17 was NOT pressurized, it was very cold (30 below zero was typical) at the high altitudes flow for bombing missions
Flight deck - how many pilots do you know who have multiengine taildragger time?
Those beautiful radials out the right side of the airplane
Co-pilot at work. Both pilots were in constant motion to keep Aluminum Overcast shiny side up in the choppy mountain air
Pilots are also volunteers, they will typically spend a week or two flying on the tour
Radials humming on the left wing
.50 Cal gun on the starboard side of the bombadier's compartment. When he wasn't sighting the bombs, he manned a gun like the rest of the crew.
Bombadier's seat
View looking down over the Norden bombsight
The nose canopy plexiglass definitely gave the view to be envied - in peacetime
View from the Bombadier's position looking aft. The crawl space will take you to the flight deck and also to an exterior door under the nose
Waist gunner position with the .50 cal at the ready. These positions were covered in plexiglass, earlier B-17s had then open to the wind
View looking forward from tail gunner's crawlway. The waist gunners manned these .50 cal guns, the silver lower ball turrent is seen just before the door to the Radio Operator's compartment
We flew low for the entire 30 minute flight, staying under a cloud deck that was trying to break up
Wooden holders for the .50cal ammo belts
Top of the belly turret. A very unique office door
There was a skylight over the Radio/Navigator position that gave a view back toward the tail
Catwalk through the bomb bay looking forward to the flight deck
Graceful lines over 60 years old
This veteran (I regret I didn't get his name) lives in Asheville. He survived 27 missions at the end of WWII as a top turret gunner. His stories were amazing
The most lonesome position of the ten crew members
You had to be a pretty small guy to fit in this!
1200 horsepower each
The nose art is a treat on all of these WWII planes
As pilots we owe so much to the Greatest Generation
Mission Debrief - 0ver 60 years later
How lucky can one guy be - get to fly in a B-17 and have a lovely wife waiting on the ground for your return
Ron with the pilot
Aluminum Overcast B-17 Tour Director from EAA
By the time we left, the clouds had broken into a beautiful sky
Ron and Randy with the B-17 pilots
This is Randy Moore, corporate pilot who also took the ride
Randy's father-in-law won a DFC flying B-24s in WWII, his daughter flies Blackhawks
Randy's plane is no 172! It's a 1987 Falcon 900 (Serial Number 24), capable of cruising 3800 miles nonstop.
Randy gave us a tour of his office - Wendy was immediately spoiled
