I've visited Wright Patt Air Force museum multiple times and love the experimental aircraft displays!
It's fascinating to see the iterations and ideas that have existed through time.
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I've visited Wright Patt Air Force museum multiple times and love the experimental aircraft displays!
It's fascinating to see the iterations and ideas that have existed through time.
I enjoy looking at old aircraft myself! The TASM (Tulsa Air and Space Nuseum) has a lot of really nice planes. Last time I was there, they were offering rides on a B-17 called aluminum overcast.
:)I see she hadn't gotten her nose art at the time. I've been to Willow Run in Ypsilanti Michigan. Home of the B-24 plant. And they have the Yankee Lady there. Almost flew years ago. Still in the back of my mind on the bucket list.
They are beautiful planes.
One time I was at a lake out in the area at family's house and saw what I assume was Yankee Lady flying right overhead probably at the minimal ceiling, starting jumping up and down and waving (I was a kid at the time so I was ecstatic) and I swear she wing waved. That was an awesome sight!
I also saw what had to be Fi-Fi the 29 fly over one end of the lake around the same time.
There were more B=24 bombers than any other type made in WWII! She was the workhorse! They built lots of B-24's here is Tulsa also.
Fifi was the only B-29 flying for years; but recently they got a B-29 named Doc, flying again! My Father in Law was an Engineer on B-29s in WWII. When Fifi came to Tulsa, he went to see her. He had his original flight manual for the B-29 with him. Apparently, all the manuals were classified, then destroyed; so they do Not exist today. When he showed them the manual, they almost wet their pants!
He gave them the manual, and it flies on Fifi today. They gave him a ride that day, and he showed them how to make Fifi sing! They put him in the flight Engineers seat, and recorded everything he did, and asked a lot of questions. He spent a full half hour teaching them how to run Fifi's engines, before they took off.
He said the his hand remembered every switch and pot on the panel. He said it was nice to take off and not have to worry about being shot down....
:)Now these are the stories that are awesome to hear! And I had heard they had gotten Doc flying recently. Supposedly you can even go for rides on one of them at least? I hear it costs a pretty penny though!
They are expensive to fly for sure! But I would sure love to take that ride! They are comparing notes, so I bet a copy of Papa's flight manual is on Doc too! I know that would make him happy!
The B-17 was $600 a half hour flight, so the B-29 is likely $2000 for the same flight time. But it would be worth it!
:)Oh that it would be. No doubt in my mind.
I read everything I can find on war History, but WWII is my favorite. So, flying in a war bird would be a bucket list item, for sure!
:)