B17 in Penticton BC

[enfield303t]

Just in case you are in the Okanagan during the next week the Commerative Air Force B17 "Sentimental Journey" will be in Penticton BC Monday July 27th. thru Sunday August 2nd.

My son and I went for a ride last year in the B25 (he paid) and we hope to do the same this year in the 17. He is a "good son". LOL

The people associated with the B25 were more than great to deal with and for most this will be the only time to get a ride in this plane. I expect it will be the same this year.

Hopefully some on this site will be able to take advantage of this.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Seaspriter]

Thanks, I have friends with cabins in the Okanagan that will be happy to take the tour. It is a very inspiring journey. Will pass this along.

[enfield303t]

The ride in Sentimental Journey happened Saturday Aug. 1st. What a great day and Cassidy and I enjoyed ourselves to no end. As usual all the CAF members couldn't be more accommodating making the flight one to remember.




The two pictures below are of 93 year old Fred Stinson who was a RCAF navigator with Ferry Command in WWII. Fred flew B17's to Egypt via South America the Azores and then Africa to their destination in Egypt. Fred grew up in Haney BC and when his daughter heard about this opportunity she told me she had to get him a ride. Now something MAGIC happens to these veterans as Fred quickly climbed the ladder to the cockpit like it was 1944 and he was 22 again. After our flight he had a smile on his face that lit up the area, we were honoured to fly with him.




In this picture with Fred is his grand daughter Jacquie, wonderful she could witness her grand father do this flight.



Some photos of the flight over Lake Okanagan and the Penticton area you might enjoy. Great ride and much quieter and more stable than the B25 we flew in last year. The pilots and crew are so professional and more than excellent at their job.







I was given the task of looking for Bf 109's, luckily none challenged us, the Fortress was just too formidable. We completed a bombing run on the Kettle Valley rail line, pilots reported a enemy train on the line so it was doors open, bombs away.



Shot from the Harvard with the B17 waiting for refueling, Bill Findlay the Harvard pilot did a bit of a short field approach when he heard the 17 crew radio they were going to refuel on landing. My son Cassidy was his passenger and said Bill wasn't going to wait to refuel after the 17, everyone had a good chuckle about that.




Picture of Harvard pilot Bill Findlay and Cassidy. Bill is a veteran fighter and airline pilot who also was in Penticton last year offering rides. I wanted Cassidy to get a ride in a Harvard as when I grew up in Moose Jaw it was the trainer for RCAF pilots. This completes Cass' North American Aviation (NAA) WWII trifecta, P51D many years ago and B25 last year and the Harvard this year. Americans know the Harvard as the T6 Texan, and movie buffs may recognize it as the plane that filled in as the Japanese Zero in many famous movies like Tora, Tora, Tora.

[Bob Womack]

Looks like a blast!

Bob

[browningautorifle]

Thanks for the pics on this one...

[enfield303t]

For Cass and me these are special moments. We went to get a ride Friday only to be told they were booked so we agreed to a 10 am flight Saturday. Now the reward was being on the same flight as Fred, to me things happen for a reason.

I sent Fred's daughter Brenda a link to the story last night and here is a reply from her.......

"Thank you so much! My Dad was "over the moon" all day ! From the moment he laid eyes on that beautiful aircraft We noticed a light in his eyes and a liveliness we haven't seen in awhile."......

As mentioned Fred went up that ladder so fast Brenda asked him to stop and come down so a picture could be taken!! Something happens with these old vets at times like this, we witnessed it with Sandy Scott when he shouldered the No 4T.

I can't imagine the responsibility of someone his age navigating across the Atlantic during his many trips ferrying aircraft to Egypt.

[Sarge]

I've been up in a B 17 3 times - Never onboard when it landed!
In fact that was Sentimental Journey.
Our C 47 jump a/c lost an engine enroute to an airshow in Texas and it was over a week before they got it flying again.
Soo about 8 or 9 of the more experienced jumpers got to jump the B 17 for that airshow and the one a week later.
Sure looks good in my log book!
Sarge

[Bob Womack]

Did you go out the crew door or the bomb bay?

Bob

[Seaspriter]

"Thank you so much! My Dad was "over the moon" all day ! From the moment he laid eyes on that beautiful aircraft We noticed a light in his eyes and a liveliness we haven't seen in awhile."...... As mentioned Fred went up that ladder so fast Brenda asked him to stop and come down so a picture could be taken!! Something happens with these old vets at times like this

The memories bring back an adrenaline rush from the excitement (fear, challenge, winning against the odds, teamwork, camaraderie, and purpose). Yesterday a friend sent me this story about one of the heroic B-17s:

The Flight of Old 666

No wonder they are called The Greatest Generation! This is a fantastic film!
Here's the story of the single most-decorated flight mission in all of WW II.
Two Medals of Honor, seven Distinguished Flying Crosses and six Purple Hearts were awarded the crew of this WWII mission.

This is a video showing awesome courage against impossible odds by some very brave Americans.
Click LINK below with sound on... About eight minutes:

http://voxvocispublicus.homestead.com/morrow.html

[Brian Dick]

Wow, great story.

I took a ride in the Collings Foundation Flying Fort several years ago. It was a great experience.