A real flight experience in the B-17
By Merana Cadorette

"My husband and I enjoyed the rare fortune of a flight in the B-17 bomber. NOT the 15 minute loop flight, mind you, but a 45 minute (not including taxiing time) cruise at 1500’ down the I-95 corridor in Florida. It’s who you know, and thankfully, a local chapter friend called to include us on a couple of the 8 seats. Once off the ground, we could roam the plane, crawl into the nose turret (a view of flight similar to maybe...Superman’s?) or sit at many of the other stations (not pilot or co-pilot of course!). The noise was deafing, as this was a warbird, not some prissy modern climate and pressure controlled passenger bus. The poor SOBs who had to ride this through shrapnel, flack, cold weather and suck on oxygen when it was cruising 30,000 feet never had it so comfy. I particularly enjoyed peeking through the gaps around the belly turret and the bomb bay doors where no seals or anything else are between you and the ground...breath-taking."