Alec and My B17 Flight Adventure! (2 Viewers)

[Louis Badolato]

My son and Alec and I had a pretty special Memorial Day Weekend. Saturday morning, after I went to the City for an MRI to check out the condition of a fractured bone at the base of my spine (when my back acts up my legs sometimes give out and I fall, recently I landed on my butt on a curb), I took Alec to the Museum of Natural History to see the Mummy exhibit and the dinosaurs. Then we drove out to the American Armor Museum next to the Old Bethpage Village Restoration, and got to see some real Armor up close and personal, including watching a WWII British Fox Armored Car in operation. While we were there, one of the docents told us that there was a vintage B17 at the nearby American Airpower Museum at Republic Airfield, and that flights were available for a price. Alec and I drove right over, just in time to watch a flight of T6 Harvard Trainers formation flying. When we approached the museum desk, we were told that we were in luck! A hefty flight fee later and we were wearing our boarding passes and being led to the B17G "Yankee Lady"!

Here are some photos of Alec and I with our boarding passes, and our approach to the magnificent warbird:

 

[Louis Badolato]

We were soon safely on board and awaiting takeoff. Alec, being the only kid on the flight, was allowed to sit in the Bombardier's Seat in the nose, while I was lucky enough to sit behind the co-pilot, with access to earphones to I could hear the pilots talking with the tower, and the status of the plane as we sped down the runway and took off. Within minutes we were allowed to remove our seatbelts and explore the aircraft. Alec and I sat in the Bombardier's seat, the Navigator's seat, the Radio Operator's seat (special to me, as it is where my Uncle Joe sat in the B17 Rikki Tikki Tavi for 22 missions before his death in action on May 5, 1944), and pretended to operate the waist guns:

 

[Louis Badolato]

Some more photos of our B17 adventure:

 

[Louis Badolato]

After we landed, we walked around the plane, and admired the nose art up close:

 

[Louis Badolato]

This summer, I am taking my family to great Britain. While we are there, I intend to take my children to Snetterton Heath, the airfield my Uncle Joe flew from in 1943 and 1944. For any of you who had relatives who flew for the Mighty Eighth, I highly recommend taking the chance to fly in one of these magnificent warbirds before they are all gone.

 

[lancer]

Louis, that is a fantastic way to learn history and honor your uncle. Great Memorial Day for you and your son.:salute:: -- Al

 

[Leadmen]

Louis: That is a nice picture of you and your son on the bomber. He will always have a nice memory of this day with his dad. John

 

[WBritain]

Hey Louis,
I flew in the same aircraft several years ago and it was a great experience! We flew out of Monroe Michigan and flew to Detroit making a turn for home over the Ford Rouge complex... very cool.
Glad to hear that you had a good time.
Ken

 

[Louis Badolato]

Hey Louis,
I flew in the same aircraft several years ago and it was a great experience! We flew out of Monroe Michigan and flew to Detroit making a turn for home over the Ford Rouge complex... very cool.
Glad to hear that you had a good time.
Ken

Ken,

We flew over the National Cemetery where my Uncle Joe (as well as my father in law and Alec's Uncle Michael) is buried. It was amazingly special.

Regards,

Louis

 

[Go for Broke]

Love your grim determination in shooting down incoming enemy aircraft.

 

[Louis Badolato]

Love your grim determination in shooting down incoming enemy aircraft.

Na, that was just me grimacing in pain from the bumpy flight on my broken tail bone . . . {sm2}

 

[tdubel]

Louis,

Thanks for sharing! That is a terrific way to spend the day, just awesome! Logan and I are doing Antietam for his bday later in June.

All the best!
Tom

 

[Louis Badolato]

Louis,

Thanks for sharing! That is a terrific way to spend the day, just awesome! Logan and I are doing Antietam for his bday later in June.

All the best!
Tom

Awesome Tom! I would ask to go, but you wouldn't want any Yankees along . . . ^&grin

 

[desk11desk12]

After we landed, we walked around the plane, and admired the nose art up close:

What an adventure!

Carlos

 

[Currahee Chris]

Those action shots of you guys firing the 50's are priceless!!! {sm4}{sm4}

 

[wwiibuff]

That looks like quite the experience Louis. Thanks for sharing your photos.

 

[Terp152]

Louis, what a wonderful adventure for your son, and you. BTW, Alec looks very much a younger version of his dad. Great pics and thanks for posting. Chris

 

[TomNT]

Looks like a great trip you had with your son Louis and what an experience to fly in that beautiful old warbird. I saw a B17 at Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona when I visited Sammy. We didn't fly in her (I'm not sure if she does fly) but it was great seeing one of these grand old ladies up close and personal.

Tom

 

[bromhead]

very nice,,I offered my father ,,48 Missions,,RTO a flight but he only walked around the outside,,