My ride in a B24 in 1995

[syscom3]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUTlbp2SHXY

This was my ride in the Collings Foundation B24. This was in May 1995 on Armed Forces day. We took off from Torrance (California) airport, headed over the south bay and went on a reciprocal heading to Carson, where we formed up with their B17. Then both of us flew down Torrance Blvd as part of that cities annual armed forces day parade.

Our route from there was to fly over the Redondo Beach pier, head south around Palos Verdes on a heading to Avalon, on Catalina Island. We flew across the island and looped around the coastline till we could line up to Long Beach. Then it was a low altitude cruise across the Catalina channel till we got to the harbor. We gained altitude and lined up with the Torrance airport approach path and came in for a landing.

This was a fantastic ride! Every minute was enjoyed!!

 

[razor1uk]

You luck lucky B'tard (meant in the nicest possible jealous way)

 

[FLYBOYJ]

 

[Crimea_River]

A great experience that I'd love to have some day. Closest thing was a ride and 20 minutes at the controls of a Tigermoth at Duxford.

 

[Coors9]

Crazy......

 

[vikingBerserker]

Way cool!

 

[GrauGeist]

Simply awesome!!

 

[TheMustangRider]

Must have been a great experience, I've been inside that B-24 but nowhere near the blue
I hope I can have that experience one of these days

 

[T Bolt]

Fantastic!!

My father flew in B-24s for a couple of years in Texas before being shipped overseas and doing 13 combat missions with the 8th, than the 15th Air Forces before becoming a guest of the Germans. Your video really gives me a sense of what it was like for him to fly in that Bomber, so different from anything else with the windows open, and all the noise and vibration. It makes all his old war stories come to life!!

Thanks for posting it!!

 

[syscom3]

with the windows open, and all the noise and vibration. It makes all his old war stories come to life!!

You're right on the mark about the noise and vibration! My video camera didn't do justice to the noise levels. Those engines are loud!!! I can imagine what it was like when they were at altitude during the winter, the wind chill would have been terrible.

 

[B-17engineer]

Been saving my money from work and will have enough this year at Reading for a ride!

Looks like a great time.

 

[syscom3]

Been saving my money from work and will have enough this year at Reading for a ride!

Looks like a great time.

Make sure you bring a video camera!