B-17 Comes to Columbia

Through a generous gift I was able to fly on Aluminum Overcast, a B-17G Flying Fortress. It was amazing!

 

 Some mementos for sale

Thankfully we didn't need this

Spark plugs for the Wright Cyclone engines

Waist gunner position

Ball turret in belly

.50 cal. ammo supply

In the bombardier's position. On the way to the target he was also a machine gunner.

Bombardier's chair

Enjoyed myself immensely

Lake Murray

Bomb bay control panel

Hydraulics for something

One of 4 bomb racks

Radio and other controls

A great experience thinking about all our brave veterans have done for us

.50 cal. waist gun mount, sight, ammo feed

The top hatch was open the whole time! We could stick out our heads and take pics. It was only a few degrees cooler than on the ground, but VERY breezy. This is a view facing rear.

Back on the ground, walking around the plane

 

Not as bad as some nose art

One of the pilots

Close-up of one of the Wright Cyclones

Side entry to the lower ball turret. The shortest smallest guys were used here. Note cramped orientation in diagram pic below.

Token artsy pic

Macro of brake line for main landing gear wheel. Simply amazing how much detail and how many exposed parts.

Here's video of the engines starting up. My camera's video isn't fast enough to catch the props spinning at higher speeds. They look like they are barely running but actually were a blur with a yellow circle at the tips.

More videos of takeoff, view out of the top hatch, walk through the bomb bay, flight deck and cockpit, and a "crawl through" to the nose bomb sight. I was very aware that these guys were in their early twenties and I am not.