Okay readers of this item. I have promised and I will deliver what I promised, as much of a journal entry as I can of my journal in the sky on the Nine-O-Nine, a B-17 World War Two Bomber which flew over Germany and Europe.
The Nine-O-Nine is in fact has a nice little tidbit I learned about it. The 8th enjoyed the plane because it didn’t lose a single airman onboard during any of her 180 bombing missions. She was a lucky plane.
Okay, so I better start, I will on Friday Morning if you all don’t mind, I will and could go further back into the week if you want.
Okay, Friday Morning, I woke up, actually I was up easily a half hour before I need to, but I tried to sleep as much as I could. I was up at four in the morning and was showered, dressed, and above all ready to go. We left the house easily at five in the morning. We then arrived at the Airport at around five fifteen in the morning, and we were the first ones there. In fact we were the only car in the parking lot I think.
Pictured is the Jet Center, our meeting in my home town to get ready for the flight up to the Bombers.
Pictured here is the Otter himself with the start of what is to be known as the Bomber Smile.
Pretty soon, the first of the others arrive, (our group consisted of five people total) we got pictures with him, and with him and his wife. He is an ordinary soldier who got no medals, but was as much a part of defending the nation as anyone else in the armed services. He was enjoyable to talk to, but was by far the most silent of the group.
Next came Larry, a retired Marine during Nam, he was a gunner on the Marine helicopter, and whose father flew top turret on a B-24. He is the one who moved my Grandpa’s captains bars to the fur collar of my jacket I wore in case we got up in the air high with the bombers. So the entire flight I had my Grandfather’s captain bars visible for everyone to see.
Then Bill, World War Two navy, who served in the Pacific on land bases, he was a wonderful person to be with and talk to.
The final person who arrived was Gail, one of the two early morning talk show hosts in the morning local AM station. (She was surprised at being TOLD she was flying on the planes)
With all that, we soon made our way inside the Jet Center, where we used the restrooms, got a safety brief and soon, was boarding the plane that would take us up to Gillete Wyoming. The Center we also learned we were getting two Airport Staff members and a CAP Youth. (CAP is Civil Air Patrol for those who might not have known.)
We then split into two planes, everyone else went on a smaller Cessna, while we went a larger plane that could sit six people including the pilot, I forgot the plane name or type for the moment. We were full up, as all the KCOL winners, plus one host got on the plane to fly to Wyoming. This was my first flight in an unpressurized plane.
This is the entire group in front of what I shall refer to the small flying limo.
We got into the Flying Limo, (It really looked and felt like a limo, cramped but then again it is an airplane. We donned our headphones, so we could all talk to each other and not shout over the roar of the twin engines.
Me wearing my headphones
We then taxied and after a while we took off.
This is taken by my father of the plane as it pulled away from the airport and towards the taxi way and the runway.
Not sure of how many of you are pilots but it was rather fun listening in on the conversation between our pilot Rob (he was the one that coordinated the bombers coming to our town, he is also awesome) We soon were in the air and we had a wonderful time, we spoke with one another, and I learned so much from Larry as he spoke of his time in Nam, I learned about the Helicopter he flew in the war, and a few stories.
This is a video of the take off, please click on the image to watch the video
Before I knew it, ((really about an hour at most)) we were told to be silent so he could talk to the airport control tower for Gillete Wyoming. We then landed and I got some good shots of the Bombers, on the ground here.
First image of the bombers from the plane on the ground.
This is the B-24
B-17
We then in almost the same ten minutes were boarded and we were strapped into a cushions on the floor and against the walls.
Me sitting down on the B-17
We were told that we had to be sitting during takeoff, which I was. We soon were able to get up and walk around the plane very soon after takeoff, and it was, it was downright amazing, the sounds of the engines, the roar as they rev’d then right before takeoff, and then take off.
You know how on all planes you can feel the plane taking off? I never felt it on the B-17, it was so smooth into the air it was downright freaky, because suddenly I realized the small window I could barely see, the ground was getting smaller and then one of the riders walked into the radio room.
I got up and well, I took a lot of video of the bomber, I kept on coming back to one part of the bomber, the bombardier seat, the front of the plane and just. It was like the big window in 20,000 leagues under the sea, only in the air and at the front of the plane. It was, I got a lot of photos there. It was fun, the roar of the engines, they were so loud I can still mentally hear them, and I couldn’t speak, I could not hear myself talk unless I had both ears covered then I could hear my voice due to the echo within my head.
The plane trip was amazing and I was just blown away by it. Just nothing but awe, however, due to the emotions, from seeing the gun turrets to even looking through the sight the bombardier used to drop the payloads, I began to get green among the gills. I finally had to get a plastic bag, and the half water bottle I had drank came up and I still heaved. After I was done I actually fell asleep, something I feel bad about but I needed it, I slept the last part of the plane trip, it was just a two hour at most ride, but, so many things I can say because of that.
The memories of the B-17 were amazing, I enjoyed it, I had a good time to see the plane, and so many shots outside the window of the airplane in action. Below are pictures of in flight actions, but sadly no pictures of us landing, due to the fact that I was strapped in and once again unable to find or see us land.
Yes that is an open hatch in the ceiling
Video, click the thumbnail, of the hatch, yes that is the wind of about 150mph blowing by the camera
This is another video of the front of the plane.
The noise you hear, the engines turning and the like. It is not justice on how loud they were in real life.
Well we landed to a nice crowd who were there waiting for us to land and my dad has gotten so many great shots, (So many that I will just link to where the photobucket account is for me to find the B-17 pics.)
I had a blast and before I even went to see my parents I got a picture of the only twin seated Mustang P-51 that was built, it was not a trainer and in fact it is and was a real fighter plane, took a nice number of German Fighters and One German Tank. It was a good plane.
We then had a nice conversation, more gathering and final pics of the group, and we dispersed for the afternoon.
I however was not done yet with the bombers, in Part 2, I shall explain and tell about the Hanger Dance.
and Part 3 was taking my two best friends to see the Bombers on the Saturday after they landed. You all have a fun day and here is the link I promised.
http://s56.photobucket.com/albums/g184/VulpixTrainer/B-17%20Flyin/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ28
