Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress flight with cockpit view and ATC

Take a flight in a World War II B-17G bomber. Interesting to see the detail of engine start, taxi, take off, cruise and landing all from cockpit.
You can take a flight in this B-17 as well, book via the link below

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[macdermesser]

WWII aircraft never cease to impress me, especially these heavy bombers. The complexity and beauty of these pre-digital-age machines is simply staggering and a testament to the genius of their creators.

[scottpoole]

My great uncle flew B-17s and P-38s during the war. He survived the war only to die in a tragic B-17 accident at a Topeka Kansas airfield in 1947. He was only 34. He was attempting to take off when the plane lost power. He held the plane as steady as he could and instructed everyone to bail as best they could manage considering they were only feet above the runway. He held that plane steady as three managed to get out and survive. After that the plane hit the trees at the runways end and unfortunately him and some others were killed. Captain James Montgomery Poole is a hero to me and my family. His name will live on as long as there is a United States. He is buried, among so many others, at Arlington national cemetery. His sacrifice and many like his is the reason we have this wonderful country. I never met my great uncle but I love him.

[pd]

This is possibly one of the best contemporary videos of a B-17. It's excellent, and thanks for posting.

[gladtobeopenminded]

This gave me goosebumps. My Father flew 25 missions over Germany in the early part of WWII, before they had fighter escorts that had the range to protect them all the way to their targets.

[billp]

I'm a trucker one day I was driving in Texas a B-17 flew over the road I was on. It was awesome. I'll never forget that. It was very low also that even made it more enjoyable to watch. My hat goes off to all who flew one with all my respect to the pilot and crews that was in WW2.

[blahboidblah]

My dad was a B-17 copilot during the war. His crew flew flew only 4 missions bombing u-penns in Hamburg. They were hit by flak and had to bail. He survived (obviously, since I'm here) and spent the rest of the war at Stalag 13 in Poland. Thanks for posting this I always wondered what a flight was like in these beauties.

[kevinrich]

My dad was a tail gunner stationed out of England. He never talked about until dementia kicked in right before he passed. I was in utter amazement at what I heard! To ride in one of these great birds is on the top of my bucket list!!!

[canoe]

My dad flew B-17G's out of Deenethorpe England with the 615th Bomb Squadron, 401st Bomb Group. He loved the B-17, it was rugged and got him home for 30 missions, including the first daylight raid over Berlin. He said it was easy to fly in formation. He never got used to the top turret gunner firing those twin 50's over his head. He saw mostly ME109's, they would mostly attack from the front and dive under the formation, so the top turret gunner would track them and keep lowering the muzzles until the microswitches cut them off. At max depression the muzzles were less than 18" from his head with only .032" of aluminum between him and the muzzles. He said it would rattle his brain inside his skull. Watching this video helped me see some of what he saw, thank you for the excellent job.

[avgirlaustintx]

My dad was in the 2d Bombardment Group, 429th Squadron in WW2. He worked on the B17s and did the maintenance when they came back from bombing. I'm probably the youngest daughter on earth of a WW2 veteran because he had me when he was 64. It is surreal because everyone who's parents were in WW2 are like a generation or 2 older than me. I never got to talk to him though because he died when I was 2 years old. One connection I have to him is through these planes.

[starguard]

Those guys that flew those planes in WWII were some really brave men. I read somewhere once that there were more airmen  that died in the air flying these planes than there were marines that died on the ground

[dojmike]

My Dad was a Radio Operator/Gunner in a B-17 in Europe during WWII. He passed away in 2012 and in his memory, I took a ride in the Collings Foundation "909" B-17. It was the best flight of my life. Thank you for keeping the memories of the "Greatest Generation" alive with your work!

[Flakey]

Dad was a pilot I've crawled through dozens of these things at air shows as a child. This took me back and was an entirely new experience all at once. Thanks for the great video Nick.

[RJBeee]

My grandfather flew B-17's out of Horham, England. 412th squadron, 95th BG. 36 missions and he somehow made it home after plenty of close calls.

Had the opportunity to attend a 95th BG reunion in Cleveland, OH a couple of years ago and it was amazing to see all the WWII vets talking about their service and getting to spend time with each other.

[chrisb]

Thank you for your post. My dad flew the B-17 during the war, got shot up and still this bird brought him and his crew home. He did the Schweinfurt run among many other harrowing missions. There are many times I count myself lucky to be here do to him surviving the war. He lost many friends, and told many stories. I was lucky enough to meet the doctor who pulled the shrapnel from him, others who had been shot down and survived the war as POW's. I asked him once when I was young, the same age as he was when doing the missions, how did you do it? I can't imagine myself or anyone my age flying a 4 engine bomber, no air support, etc. His answer was simple. It is what we had to do and we did it.

[fnln]

That flight makes me think about my favorite movie, 'The Best Years of Our Lives, ' when the B-17 bomber flies
over 'Boone City' and former sailor 'Homer Parrish' looks down from the bombardier's position to see the town...and the sunset is amazing in that film even in glorious black and white.

Thanks for taking us on that amazing flight. It was great seeing the various camera views. And what a great plane; thank goodness for it being saved and available for people to appreciate! Keith

[wallacehoward]

I'm 86 years old and remember well WW2 from where I was on December 7th, 1941 til the end in 1945. Living in Los Angeles I saw many of the old bombers and fighters of that era flying overhead. The B-17's never ceased to amaze me and still do when I can get to see one. I think my favorite though has to be the B-25 Mitchell. A high school friend of my late father was a pilot on one of the Doolittle flight over Tokyo.

[pilsnrimgaard]

Beautifully restored piece of history. Well done!

[richardmulhare]

Flew in this aircraft last year. My wife said I had the happiest smile she has seen in years. Will try to get a ride in the B29 this May when it visits Tennessee

[carlcushmanhybels]

Thank you for taking us with you; quite a privilege: to see one flown from the inside. I toured the Collings Foundation B17-G '909' about 2008 in Manch. NH. I'd been thrilled the evening before as I neared home from work: a B-17 flew toward me above tree tops over my road. Unmistakable shape. It turned, flying low and slow over the cornfield in front of my house. On the tour next day I videoed and experienced, e/g, : There's a lot less room inside (esp the catwalk through the bombay), and more twists and turns to different levels. I was grateful too that the particular B-17 Collings rebadged as '909' served dropping food to starving Dutch at the end of the war. Half my ancestors were Dutch. And my American parents taught in the Netherlands in the 50's before I was born. A family friend survived a German slave labor camp by posing as a doctor/ aided by a new buddy who was a real medical student.

[santafesupervisor]

I got to fly in a B 17 a few years ago - sat in the nose on take off --- was absolutely amazing. It was in Galveston Texas with the Confederate Air Force. Also got to fly on the B 24. My dad was on B 24 during the war, so it was really something to get a little taste of what he did.