A flight into history

By John Weber

I recently got to share a unique experience with my son, James. We took the opportunity to take a flight on the Collings Foundation B-17, “Nine-o-Nine.”

Unfortunately, his twin brother, John, an Air Traffic Controller in Everett, Washington, was on the opposite coast and couldn’t join us.

Having grown up in Leesburg, Florida, I took my boys to SUN ‘n FUN multiple times while they were growing up, and James fell in love with the warbirds at a young age.

While I was growing up, my father had three friends, who were brothers, who flew bombers in World War II. Bill flew the B-17, James flew the B-24, and Browne flew the B-26. As a youth, I stirred up many an active discussion on what was the best bomber of World War II, but the question was never resolved. As a result, I grew to have a great deal of affection for the planes of World War II.

Last year I flew in the B-24 “Witchcraft” and enjoyed it immensely. The only thing that could have improved that flight was if I had a family member along to share it with me. James came out to the airport that day with his mother and me, and we could see the interest that was rekindled in our son.

The day of our flight in the B-17 dawned bright and clear with light winds. We had to be checked in at the airport by 8:30 a.m. for our flight at 9.  James and I were lucky to be placed right behind the cockpit for the takeoff and start of our flight.

Listening to those big radial engines cranking up and running certainly was a different kind of music to our ears. The acceleration and takeoff roll were much quicker than I anticipated, and soon we were turned loose to move around the plane.

Being up front, we were the first ones to see the bombsight and the nose. We soon retreated to allow others on the flight to come up and see the sights. We marveled at the narrowness of the the catwalk through the bomb bay, and then the size of the door to the belly turret. We spent a good portion of the flight in the area of the waist gunners and got a good view of the engines, tail, and the surrounding countryside.

Much too soon, we were landing — very smoothly I might add — back at Leesburg International Airport and we taxied back into the real world to meet our wives.

Once again, this brought back to me the thoughts of how the young men of this country went to war in these planes, so far from home.

James, at 29, would have been an old man in any of the squadrons flying the B-17s. I echo the thought that this generation was truly the “Greatest Generation.”

I am thankful for those men who flew these aircraft into harm’s way, thankful that in this day and time we have “living” examples of these aircraft yet, and thankful that I could share this with my son this day.

After the flight his comment was, “That sure was one of the fastest 30 minutes of my life — that was awesome.”

Thank you to the Collings Foundation for keeping these great pieces of history flying.

John Weber is the vice president of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534 in Leesburg, Florida. He is also a pilot and Certified Light Sport Flight Instructor. When John isn’t building, repairing, or flying a plane, he is a veterinarian in Mount Dora, Florida.