In 1997 the EAA cold called the now long defunct Aviation Art store I was working in in northern VA and asked me if I knew anyone who would like to go for a ride and fly their B-17G at their Winchester VA Airport stop. Talked to my best friend and we sent in the funds for the full package. My neighbor, the retired B/Group C/O, said he would drive us just to see a B-17 fly again. Talk about once in a lifetime experience! On the flight,there were 7, but only 6 could fit through the bomb bay cat walk. What was weird was that after about half an hour the other 4 went to the back of the plane and my friend and I had the whole front to ourselves and the flight crew.We each got 15 minutes in the left seat of actually flying that great plane. I was in the nose with my camcorder looking out of one of the left windows when my friend started flying as then I watched the left wing dip towards the ground, then go skywards. This went on for a little bit, and I thought it was a blast! Turns out it was my friend, who held a pilots' rating, really having fun.I later heard the conversation between my buddy and the A/C Commander in the right seat went like this: Friend to A/C "you know, that guy in the back didn't look to good during takeoff and in flight". A/C came right back and said with a smile " and you sure as hell aren't making him feel any better flying like this, but what the hell, you know what you are doing, so go ahead!" You all know the rest of that story!
Before we took off, I had asked for permission to ride in the jump seat on landing to film it, permission was granted, it was an absolute blast to be it the cockpit on landing, and very mechanically loud! At the end, the 6 of us who were still walking were talking to the A/C and found out the plane was painted in the pattern of the one he had been shot down, I think, over Berlin. Then he asked, "Ok, who brought log books?" Three of us. myself, my friend and a third guy held them up. The other three were really bummed out to have not thought about this. Then he asked, "who brought a pencil?". None of us had, he had us but was just messing with us and singed us all off. A true once in a lifetime experience!
But it wasn't over! My neighbor had met other WW 2 B-17 veterans and came away with more stories he shared with them from his time on the ground while we were flying. He then announced we were stopping off at Whitepost restorations to see the status of his original owner 1950 Cadillac Coupe de Ville being completely restored, and then we got a really nice hands on tour of that shop from one of the owners in the process.
So, whenever I think I'm in a rut or life isn't being fair, I remember a few days like that I have lived
