Warbird Experiences

[Catch22]

My dad's turning 50 this year and we'd like to get him something special. A warbird experience has been tossed around as an idea. Timeline doesn't matter much, but it would have to be on this side of the pond! Cost doesn't really matter at this point as we just want ideas. Does anyone who's been on one want to chime in with their ideas/opinions? Thanks!

 

[syscom3]

The Collings foundation B17 and B24 are excellent choices.

 

[bobbysocks]

i wanted to get my dad up in a 51 one last time and tried to do this during the 08 gathering of mustangs and legends. like you i was prepared to pay whatever i needed to and this was all unbeknownst to him. unfortunately it didnt work out. if you want to do it you will have to go where the planes are....or wait until there is an airshow close to you and start to hit up the exhibitors by email months before the show. might get int contact with the collins foundation and see what they offer....

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm

another option is the air combat experience places....they dont fly ww2 warbirds but they do let you ( and your instructor of course ) go at it head to head in some hot little aerobatic ac. this is something i have always wanted to do ( and i am a little older than your dad but we wont mention that ). some of these travel around the country....others you have to visit their home base. good luck...

Air Combat USA

Sky Combat Ace | Ultimate Extreme Adventure | 888-494-5850

 

[bobbysocks]

duplicate..post. wish we had a delete button...

 

[Readie]

Howabout a ride in a biplane like a Tiger Moth?

 

[Wayne Little]

Sounds like a great idea Cory, hope you can pull it off....

 

[Airframes]

Cory, some aviation magazines carry adverts for rides in warbirds in the USA, and I've seen some that offer everything from a 20 minute ride, to 'hands on'. Glenn, of course, can probably tell you more about the rides on offer in B-24 'Witchcraft', and Gary possibly knows all the ins and outs.

 

[Crimea_River]

Go to the Canadian Warplane Heritage website. All flyable aircraft can be sponsored with memberships that include an annual flight, including the Lanc. Wesjet will fly you straight from Edmonton to Hamilton where you can take a short walk to the CWH Museum.

You might also want to check this out. https://www.vintagewingsmembers.ca/eventsDetail/eventDetails.cfm?eventIdEnc=26E1CA Although a bit dated, I heard that this Mustang is still at the Springbank airport west of Calgary. The ground school thing is a neat idea, though it doesn't include a ride. When I checked it out 2 years ago, rides were offered at about $2500.

 

[GrauGeist]

I know that a ride in Betty Jane (PT-51C) of the Collings Foundation costs about $2,200, a ride in the bombers like Nine-O-Nine Witchcraft of the Collings Foundation or Aluminum Overcast of the EAA costs in the neighborhood of $400

 

[Catch22]

Thanks a lot for the info guys. Looks like right now the Collings Foundation B-24 and B-17 are in the lead. They seem like the best value so to speak. If we went with them, we'd likely get him a ride in both. Lanc in Hamilton is probably choice 2, since it's an hour flight. But the $2500 is steep.

 

[Crimea_River]

It is that.

 

[GrauGeist]

It's a tough decision, but I'd say that if it came down to either a B-17 or B-24, go with the B-24 because there's only two still flying at the moment. So you get the cool factor of the ride and the noteriety of going up in something that's pretty rare.

 

[T Bolt]

I'd go with the B-24. I didn't go up in the B-17 but I went through it and it has the enclosed style waste guns. One of the highlights of my ride in Witchcraft was the open waist gun positions.

 

[GrauGeist]

Aluminum Overcast has the enclosed waist positions as well. You would have to find one of the older B-17s like an F to have the the experience of wind in your hair

 

[Catch22]

Thanks guys. This kind of info is stuff that I wouldn't really be able to find out on my own. I know I'd personally prefer the B-24, but that's just because I like the plane better.