For those of you who are interested, the B-17 "Aluminum Overcast" flew overhead on final approach to Runway 22 at Essex County Airport here in Fairfield, NJ. I flew her out in Oshkosh, WI and it was awesome. I was also able to shoot photos and videos during my flight. Now she is here locally this weekend.

 

If you are interested in a ride in the Fortress...

Pricing

Pre-book - for EAA members $409, for non-members $449

Walk-up – for EAA members $435, for non-members $475

 

Video links:

http://bcove.me/q0tw9frq

http://bcove.me/pjaiz20o

 

 

Info links:

http://www.eaa.org/c...l.aspx?id=13419

http://www.b17.org/

 

Kinda pricey... now if they let you sit in those turrets i might be more inclined.

Kinda pricey... now if they let you sit in those turrets i might be more inclined.

 

From the main fuselage section you walk through the bomb bay up to the flight deck on an 8" wide piece of aluminum. Climbing up to the bombardier station in the nose is a little tight. Under the flight deck to the nose. It was a great view and central Wisconsin looked like France. They let us walk around to all the stations except the tail gunner. Here is a shot from the left seat on the flight deck of the main runway at Wittman Regional in Oshkosh.

 

I've been inside this very plane. Never up in the air, though. In the movies, you get the impression that the interior of the fuselage is huge. But, the truth is that it was very cramped quarters for everyone.

I was doing an engagement portrait session at the beach down in Ocean Grove a year or so ago. During the session, a B-17 flew right over our heads @ 150 feet off the deck. I stopped what I was doing and cracked a salute. Then I saw the wings dip to one side & then the other. The War Bird was probably enroute to the big Air Show at the Cape May NJ Fly-In held annually at the NASW Museum in Rio Grande. They have a B-25 Mitchell, a B-17 and a B-24 Liberator fly-in for the Show. Rides are available there too--at about the same kind of money. It's on my "Bucket List" for sure!

 

Dave

I was doing an engagement portrait session at the beach down in Ocean Grove a year or so ago. During the session, a B-17 flew right over our heads @ 150 feet off the deck. I stopped what I was doing and cracked a salute. Then I saw the wings dip to one side & then the other. The War Bird was probably enroute to the big Air Show at the Cape May NJ Fly-In held annually at the NASW Museum in Rio Grande. They have a B-25 Mitchell, a B-17 and a B-24 Liberator fly-in for the Show. Rides are available there too--at about the same kind of money. It's on my "Bucket List" for sure!

 

Dave

 

I shot about 1,100 photos out at Oshkosh. The B-25 your talking about is probably "Briefing Time" out of the Reading Air Museum. Awesome firepower...

 

Love the kids' stuffed toy in the Nose, lol!

 

Thanks for sharing!

How long does the "mission flight" take?

How long does the "mission flight" take?

 

The mission flights in Oshkosh were 45 - 50 minutes. I believe they were trying to achieve one flight per hour. They take 10 at a time so you may have 5 minutes or so at each station.

 

Hmmm.

I was doing an engagement portrait session at the beach down in Ocean Grove a year or so ago. During the session, a B-17 flew right over our heads @ 150 feet off the deck. I stopped what I was doing and cracked a salute. Then I saw the wings dip to one side & then the other. The War Bird was probably enroute to the big Air Show at the Cape May NJ Fly-In held annually at the NASW Museum in Rio Grande. They have a B-25 Mitchell, a B-17 and a B-24 Liberator fly-in for the Show. Rides are available there too--at about the same kind of money. It's on my "Bucket List" for sure!

 

Dave

 

Sounds like they may have been from The Collings Foundation. If the B-17 you saw was Olive drab it may have been "Nine-O-Nine"

 

Those prices only scratch the surface of the operational costs of flying a Warbird. It not only takes lots of money but also many long hours by many volunteers who are the unsung heros of these flying time capsules.

 

If given the chance to fly in one, take it. I promise you will not be disappointed.

 

Please also remember to thank the crew of people that allow us to take a trip back in our history.

I'm a member of NASW Museum @ the Cape May County Airport. They have all kinds of flyin' Machines from a Mig-15 & F-14 Tomcat to a Steerman Biplane. Helo's such as Hughey's, Sikorski's, Cobra's that they let you climb into the seats on! Real lots of fun!

 

The Fly-In should be the last weekend of this month if anybody is interested...

I'm a member of NASW Museum @ the Cape May County Airport. They have all kinds of flyin' Machines from a Mig-15 & F-14 Tomcat to a Steerman Biplane. Helo's such as Hughey's, Sikorski's, Cobra's that they let you climb into the seats on! Real lots of fun!

 

The Fly-In should be the last weekend of this month if anybody is interested...

Does Art Wolk still keep his Pantherjet there????

This is cool to bad im poor....

AC airshow 8-17 on the beach!!

Dang it, the bugger went right over our house this morn and couldn't get camera out there fast enough. Blah!

 

 

Sent from John's iPad 2 via Tapatalk HD

Typos courtesy Apple...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Went to see her today. Didn't go for a ride this time, but I'm saving money for next time.

that is beautiful....absolutely beautiful

Ken

I am kind of irritated. Seeing this makes me kind of upset that the AF won't let us put pin-up girls and other paintings on our birds anymore! Why not?!? Lameooooo.

 

Great photos. I'm curious as to how the flying was back then. Crazy how different things are and how much they've changed.

Great photos. I'm curious as to how the flying was back then. Crazy how different things are and how much they've changed.

 

This flew over my house today. WHAT a rumble. Beautiful sight.

 

I used to ask my dad, a Navy pilot, that same question when I was young. His response always began with; "We flew by the seat of our pants." His stories gave me a greater respect for what everyone went though back then. Propelled flight was only four decades old when he took to the skies. He has some great stories.

So yesterday evening my wife and I along with our neighbors across the street decided to take our kids over the bridge to go crabbing by Stewarts in Seaside. As I opened the door to exit the truck I immediately heard and recognized the very distinct sound of several radial wasp engines purring overhead. Instinctively I looked up and not more than 1000 feet above my head I saw a beautiful B-17 fly by heading south. It banked east over Seaside Heights and headed back north. I was in awe, such a beautiful sight. No less than 15 minutes later I again heard that sweet sound to the west only this time the large lumbering bomber was about a mile away and it just didn't look right. After carefully studying the silhouette I noticed that the wings didn't look quite right then as the aircraft banked east I noticed the distinctive set of vertical stabilizers of a B-24 Liberator.

 

It was such a treat to see these two planes fly by. I can only imagine what it must have been like to see thousands of them flying in formation from horizon to horizon.

 

After some research I found the aircraft were from the Collings Foundation and they were flying out of the Monmouth Executive Airport in Belmar.

 

Unfortunately they are leaving this afternoon for Wilmington, Delaware but I'm going to drag the kids there before 12PM to hopefully be able to take a walk through tour. My father-in law, who passed away two years ago, was a B-17 tail gunner in the 100th Bomb Group back in 1943 and I think the kids will enjoy seeing the B-17 inside and out.

Today is the last day @ Monmouth Airport?

Somehow I wonder if the guys flying it in Europe had the dual GNS-550s in the stack!

Today is the last day @ Monmouth Airport?

 

The schedule says they are there until 12PM and shows them in Delaware tonight.

Yeah, I think I saw it flying off towards the shore yesterday.

After a little research I found out that this organization owns the only privately owned F4 Phantom. How much for a ride in that puppy I wonder?

While having a BBQ at my Parents house in East Brunswick yesterday I saw the B-24 fly over a little after 5. The sound of Radial engines is unmistakable. That a good looking bird.

While having a BBQ at my Parents house in East Brunswick yesterday I saw the B-24 fly over a little after 5. The sound of Radial engines is unmistakable. That a good looking bird.

You got that rite. It has waken me out of a dead sleep. They make the hair on my arms stand up. I love the radial engine in pairs or quads sound

Ken