B-17 in Denver in June

We will be able to see more of the old WWII aircraft in the Dallas-Fort Worth area soon. The CAF is moving here from West Texas, and I'm anxious to see what all they have.

I've seen a B-17, B-24, B-26, P-38 and P-51 at local air shows, and they always draw huge crowds. One year they invited former B-17 crew members for a nostalgia flight. The old guys were like kids when they climbed aboard for the flight, and a couple were in tears when it ended. One of the former pilots said he even got a little seat time and he hadn't forgotten a thing. It was pretty emotional even for those of us just watching.

I've only been aboard a non-flying B-17, and it was on display at a gas station in Portland, OR right after the war. I remember crawling across a sheet of flimsy plywood over the bomb bay to get to the tail gunner's position and being in awe of the tiny, exposed position the gunner had to occupy. There were numerous flak holes in the skin all over the aircraft, which emphasized the reality of what the crews endured in air combat. I heard that plane had been removed and parts cannibalized to keep one of the remaining planes flying.