Warbird Information Exchange

I please to report that the Lone Star Flight Museum is to start selling rides with both their B-17 Flying Fortress and B-25 Mitchell

I had the honour to discuss the idea with LSFM's president Larry Gregory last year at Oshkosh, but they had not been ready to "go public" till now.

You can pick up the story here ~

http://news.galvestondailynews.com/stor ... hyr3F0773C

I wish LSFM every success with their new fund raising venture !

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Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps

Great book me the B-17 next stop Iran!

i'll stop those nutters if no one else will!

Are there any pics of their B17?

Also, after my first b17 ride here is what I noticed

Everyone on board from execs to bookish types wanted to fire the 50 cals. Why not do something a little different like a mock combat run were the bomb bay has a couple flour bombs and some of the 50 cals are replaced with full auto "Gas Guns or high powered paint ball guns". Then set the scene up were they bomb and shoot up some old oil refinery, this is Texas after all.

Also, can they get more than 10 customers in the plane. It would be nice to fit a couple more in and stay up longer.

Here's a photo from the 2005 Barksdale AFB Open House airshow - the F-16 Thunderbirds are there this year 4/21&22/2007

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Yesterday is experience, tomorrow is hope, today is getting from one to the other.

If they come around Pittsburgh, or are selling rides at Oshkosh, I am in the B-17 for sure. I went up in Fuddy Duddy, and now I want to do it again.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

out of interest how much do they charge and how long are you lucky so and so's in the air!

over here your lucky to get a rid in a dragon rapide!

For around $425 you are in the air for around 30+- minutes. Or you can pay $1500 and wait in line for a flight between cities, much longer flight.

They let you walk all around the airplane except for the tail gunner area and ball turret. You can play with the Nordon bomb site and walk through the bomb bay area. It is priceless.

I agree. No amount of pics and reading can replace flying in the real deal.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

I'm still trying to get the boys and I on a ride. We tried to get on Aluminum Overcast at EAA last summer but the wait was like 6 hours long!

John

Hy jpeters, if you book ahead, they give you a time to be there. I had mine at 12, I had to be there at 11 for briefing, and we flew from about 12 to 1245.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Hmmm ...good idea. I think I might just do that!

John

I know Thunderbird has a complete top turret, something most B-17 restorations don't have. Does anyone know if it operable?

I don't claim to be the LSFM know it all, but you might want to double check the information that you've been given. Something about it sounds a little fishy to me as far as the city to city flights.

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"It is the greatest shot of adrenaline to be doing what you have wanted to do so badly. You almost feel like you could fly without the plane." Charles Lindbergh

To the best of my knowledge they are all in working condition, LSFM just doesn't operate them.

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"It is the greatest shot of adrenaline to be doing what you have wanted to do so badly. You almost feel like you could fly without the plane." Charles Lindbergh

Now I'm home after work I've got a bit more time to add some detail.

Larry's plan ( as outlined in an email to me in Jan'07 ) is to offer rides with the B-17 and B-25 at locations in TEXAS only this year.
This as home turf and they are not that far from Galveston if there are any maintenance issues.

The B-17's that tour only visit certain cities and there market research shows that people in other cities would come out to support them.

The other goal is to attract visitors to Galveston. Larry's vision is to offer a ride package which ( god willing ) will start with a Stearman flight, then on to the T-6, then once you've got your "wings" ... the B-25 and B-17.

He was looking at working with other local attractions and hotels to get discounts etc, so that people would go down and stay for a vaction, rather than a quick visit to take a flight.

We talked at Oshkosh last year about the interest that might be generated for overseas visitors and I thought that people ( inlcuding me ) would want to take advantage of such a fantastic opportunity.

Four classic warbird rides as a package ?

Pinch me someone ~ I must be dreaming

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Oh ~ before I go ~ yes Stehanie is right ~ on both counts

1 / Both turrets are functionally operational ~ but not used.

2/ I don't think LSFM plan to offer cross country rides to the public.

FAA rules for warbird rides only allow "local" flight, meaning the airplane must return to the point of departure for landing.

Therefore only crew can fly city to city. Some operators do offer crew status membership for people, which is naturally a lot more expensive than for a 20-30 minte ride.

_________________
Blue Skies .....

Peter

Consolidated by US state ~ see if there's a heavy bomber tour stop coming to an airport near you ...... http://www.bomberflight.info

Warbirdapps on facebook ~ every day a new image from my personal journey thru the world of warbirds ..... https://www.facebook.com/Warbirdapps