"Lee K. Gleason" wrote in
:

Just got back form a B-17 ride at the Lone Star Flight Museum in
Galveston. It was a Christmas present from my thoughtful wife, Susan.
I'd mentioned that they were selling rides to the public a few months
back, and she arranged one for me as a surprise.

For a lifelong fan of WWII aviation, it was the ride of a lifetime.
The
sound of the four Wright Cyclones was like a symphony of power. The
swoops and curces of the aluminum body work was like art deco compared
to the designs of today. There were four other passengers on the
flight, and after takeoff we were allowed to roam pretty freely. I
started off in the radio compartment in the waist. As I headed
forward, I couldn't believe how narrow the walkway through the bomb
bay was - if I hadn't lost 20 pounds lately, I flat would not have
been able to get through it. As it was, I was afraid that I'd get
stuck, but, fortune favors the brave - I managed to squeeze through.
The entire plane was a lot smaller inside than movies or TV would make
you think - at 5'11'', I could only stand up in a couple of spots.

Got all the way forward into the bombardier's compartment. Looking
out at
Galveston, I imagined it was Schweinfurt and I was looking for the
ball bearing factories. Up there with me was a youngish guy, and an
80-ish fellow. During the pax safety briefing, the pilot had asked if
anyone had ever been on a B-17 before. This elderly gent raised his
hand, a twinkle in his eye. The pilot smiled and asked "how many
times", seeing what was coming...the old timer said, "35 missions
worth". He'd been a B-17 crew member and had toured Germany
extensively from the air, during the 40s, courtesy of the 8th Air
Force. The crew treated him like the hero he was, and I felt fortunate
to be able to hear his first hand stories while actually flying on the
plane with him. When the other guy up there with us said he felt
lucky to have gotten to take the ride, the old timer replied that he
felt lucky just to be alive. It was good to see him enjoying the
flight just as much if not more than us newbies.

Soon enough the ride was over - seeing the numbers float up from the
bombardier's perch was a treat. We flared and floated in soft as a
feather for a bit, then the gear thumped home with authority and we
taxied back to the museum.

It was a bit pricey, at $400.00 - but, if you're a fan of that
period of
aviation, you'd agree it was money well spent. With only a handful
still flying, it's an opportunity I was glad to have.

Sounds cheap at twice the price, really.


Bertie