[ARC5] Re: [Milsurplus] Re: [MV] Collings Foundation B17 - B24 at Pease NH Sept 21 / 22

[Todd Bigelow - PS]

"J. Forster" wrote:

> The Collings Foundation, located in Stow, Mass has a web site:
>
> http://www.collingsfoundation.org/
>
> The really interesting thing is that you can actually go for a 30 minute FLIGHT
> in a B-17 or B-24 !!!. (Cost $350... tax deductible) See your ARC-5 or ART-13A
> in it's original location  !!!  (Disclaimer...  I don't know what radio gear
> they actually have on the planes)
>
> What a thrill !!!
>
> -John

Absolutely, John - I flew in the B-17G 'Nine-O-Nine' back in '93, in formation with
the B-24 'All American', dressed in my WWII Sheepskin coat, leather flight helmet,
goggles, oxygen mask, the whole bit. What a blast, especially buzzing the runway at
200 or so MPH. Got some wonderful video (got carried away with exploring the plane
though, so it gets boring in places) as well. Unfortunately the BC-348, BC-375 and
all of the command gear is not hooked up and working, some of the accessories are
missing as well. Still, it's like nothing you'll ever do nowadays. I took a 2mtr HT
along to try to work some friends, but despite what you see in the movies, hearing
- muchless trying to converse - is not easily acheived inside with all 4 engines
roaring. Nor is it easy to move around with flight gear on, and I wasn't even
wearing a 'chute harness or Mae West.

One of the most exciting parts was time spent with the Norden bombsight out in the
perspex nose as we flew over a reservoir. It felt as though you were suspended in
space and would fall out if not careful. Got to try out most gun positions
(ball-turret and tail are closed off), even spun the top turret around manually.
Walking along the catwalk in the bomb bay can be unnerving, though - you can see
out between the bomb bay doors and hear the wind whistling through.

Only thing I can think of that would have added to the experience would have been a
flight of P-51 'little friends' criss-crossing as we flew along.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys old aircraft.  At the time I think
it was costing them $2000/hr to fly, so you'll be helping keep the big birds
flying. Phil Haskell is the man to see (if he's still with them). Don't let his
story about the Nine-O-Nine crash-landing and sliding over a 100' cliff at the end
of a runway scare you out of flying. It's a true story, but they did a fine job of
rebuilding it.

There's a way to get a much longer flight too, but it involves paying your way back
home from their next destination. They also subscribe you to their newsletter and
appearence schedule when you fly with them.

73 de Todd/'Boomer'  KA1KAQ