Author Topic: Best day of the year 'in' a B-17 and B-24. (Read 556 times)

fuzeman · « **on:** August 12, 2006, 08:29:26 PM »

Welp, August 12th is on the record as my best day of the year in a B-17 and B-24.
And 'in' is the correct word.
Went to the Niagara Falls International Airport and they had a B-17G, B-24 and a B-25 on display and for $10 you could walk through the B-17 and the B-24.
Best $10 I ever spent!
Couldn't get to the cockpit, nose gunner, bombardier, or tail gun positions but it was still amazing. They even had the Norden bombsites in both the 17 and 24.
The B-17 had some crumpled metal on the side of the tail gun and minor damge to left elevator on the tail but nothing to make it non-flyable. I asked a crewman and he said it was damaged on the ground in a storm and the wind blew the plane around some.
Course if I was rich I'd have spent the $425 for a flight but that will have to wait until after I win a few lotteries.
They had a few other planes including a Yak 52 along with two other 'Russian' planes, two Trainer type aircraft and a jet Trainer, an F-44 I think I heard one guy call it. Looked to me like a A-4 Skyraider. Also a float plane that looked similar to the one in that James Bond movie where Scaramanga blows it up with that laser weapon.

Funniest thing was I got talking to a guy from the museum and I mentioned I was one of those dweebs that flies them in computer games. He mentioned the museum and some simulators and started to mention Microsoft ones and my interest started to wane. I mentioned Aces High and he was familiar with it. He said they had that one also on a simulator. My interest skyrocketed at that point.
He then proceded to tell me he actually met Dale 'Hitech' and Hitech took him up in his RV8 and nearly killed him. He was joking but evidently Hitech did some aerobatics and thus the 'almost killed me' part. His name was Ray or Roy O'Keefe if Hitech remembers him.
I just may check out this Aces High simulator

I think it's only offline though but I'm sure it'll still be a TON-o-fun.
I'm still wearning a SEG and contemplating buying a few scratch off lotto tickets to see if I can come up with $425

Oh yea, the B-17 nickname was 'Nine o nine' and of course that reminded me of 999000.

They will still be there tomorrow for those close enough to visit.

Wolfala · « **Reply #1 on:** August 12, 2006, 09:55:04 PM »

Ray...

Bad blood I got with that guy. Aside from the fact his entire museum is bankrolled by the mafia. (He stole those simulators from Dukemskt after transporting them from a hanger in Texas. I got them up and running, put new computers in them running Aces High II, then the mother****er wouldn't pay for them. 2 years later, Duke's stuck with the bill and the SOB won't give the simulators back. At $30,000 each x4 !

Wolf

fuzeman · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2006, 10:03:53 PM »

Yikes, that is not good

If I visit again, maybe I'l bring a sledge hammer.

I guess Hitech should've hit that rear seat ejector button when he was giving him that ride.

KTM520guy · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2006, 10:23:48 PM »

Hitech's RV got pwned by a noob. Or so I hear.

Jebus · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2006, 11:11:52 PM »

Yeah back about 15...20 years ago a B-17 and B-24 landed at Miegs field in Chicago. I was so little I never realized that it is a SMALL runway to land those planes until my Uncle told me. My uncle who was a tail gunner for a B-24 came with. He told me stories about some of the flights, and how a 262 shot there plane down.

That was my fire love for WW2 planes, and I have never looked back!

thndregg · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2006, 10:59:17 AM »

Just watched a B17 documentary last night. They state it cost $2000 a day to run one of those birds.

Higgins · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2006, 05:31:09 PM »

Wolf,

Are you the Wolf from the Mskts back in FA 1.5? I haven't heard from anyone from the Mskts in some time except Eagler and rarely Thorns. How is ole Duke doing?

Higgins (HigginsMskt)

Wolfala · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2006, 07:06:10 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Higgins
Wolf,

Are you the Wolf from the Mskts back in FA 1.5? I haven't heard from anyone from the Mskts in some time except Eagler and rarely Thorns. How is ole Duke doing?

Higgins (HigginsMskt)

Neg, i'm not that Wolf. Duke's ok - he moved from Palmer AK to Chinook, WA about 2 years ago. Doesn't come around the HT side much anymore - but a few of his friends still play. Andy (Dayooper) I think is the only 1 who's a regular in AH.

Wolf