Any guitar players on TW?

I’ve always wanted to go for a ride in a military helicopter. It’s darn near impossible as a civilian these days

 

It was one of the most memorable things Ive ever done. That B-24j travels with other warbirds across the country. Witchcraft is its current paint scheme. Several years earlier, a friend and I went to my local, tiny airport and took a tour of it. However, back then it was painted a different scheme. "A dragon and its tail" is what it was painted.

I didnt know this till after my 2015 flight in "Witchcraft" that it was the very same plane that I had walked thru 13 years earlier.

It was $400 to fly for 30 mins.
My grandfather was a right waist gunner in a B-24j that was shot down over zeeland, Holland on the 2nd day of Operation Market Garden Sept 18th, 1944 that caught flak from german anti air guns.

Captured and sent to Stalag Luft IV as a POW.
He survived the death march across Germany until the liberation I thinknin april of 1945.

So I wanted to fly in this B-24 Liberator for some time, we just hadn't crosed paths at the right time.
I wanted to fly and stand at the right waist gunner position where my 19 yr old Grandfather stood in 1944.

 

I was scheduled in the fall of 2019 to fly in another plane that traveled with the Collings foundation. A Boing B-17G Flying fortress named "Nine 0 Nine".
Unfortunatly, on Oct 2 of that year at Bradley internation airport in CONN, it crashed while giving a tour killing 7 of the 13 people on board. It was competely destroyed.

A couple pics of Nine 0 Nine just before boarding my flight on Witchcraft in 2015.

 

Some vid of me in the bombadiers position in the nose, directly under the cockpit and crew.
https://youtu.be/js8i7u0IrYY

 

And takeoff.
At the very end, you can hear a bell. Thats when we were allowed to unbuckle and free roam about the plane. Barely off the runway.
It was pretty surreal.

https://youtu.be/F-ET2iJ2mtY

 

This is now a Vintage plane thread.

 

It was a worthwhile diversion. Enjoyed the photos and video, but especially enjoyed the amazing story of your grandad. Thanks for sharing that.

 

Ya, Kool beans for sure. Literally 90 minutes away from me is Hamilton, ON. You can pay to ride in an Avro Lancaster...last of two I Ithink still flying.

https://www.warplane.com/aircraft/flights.aspx

15 yrs or so ago got a flight in a Stearman for the old man...great museum also

 

Wow, they have a great collection!!
Did you choose the stearman or did you Dad?
Love that de havilland Tiger moth. Would die to get a ride in that one.
I see a B-25 mitchel which was nearly identical to the B-24 Liberator.

And I spy a North American F-86 Sabrejet which Grandfather test piloted in the late 40's. I have a pic somewhere with him in his high altitude suit and helmet with my mom as a child standing next to him.

 

The stearman was chosen at 350 vs Lanc at 3500

They have a great collection, as does Trenton, ON and same with Ottawa ON museums. Been to all three.

 

Crazy prices. I only paid $400 for the B-24.
They also have a 2 seat P-51 trainer they let you fly for like $3500 for 60 mins/Loggable.

https://www.collingsfoundation.org/flight-experiences/

 

saw that in Indiana!! First Maiden show was on Piece of Mind tour...saw them on all but two tours since then

 

MSA?

 

Air force Golden Gloves Champ.
Grandpap, Benjamin E Brink.
Back row, far left.

 

Gotta get some playing in this weekend.
Havnt picked up a guitar in a while.
Anyone else playing?

 

I've been slacking a bit. Had family in town last weekend and out of town the next three weekends.

 

I have to head to Ohio for the 4th of july.
Kinda wish I had a martin backpacker or a travel guitar.

 

What does MSA mean?

 

Market Square Arena in indianapolis.