B-17G Flying Fortress
Sentimental Journey
Wartime Mission: Designed for daylight precision bombing, B-17s flew unescorted bombing missions over Europe for much of the war. B-17s were legendary for their ability to return home after taking brutal poundings. They dropped over 640,000 tons of bombs over Europe. A total of 12,731 B-17s produced by Boeing, Vega, and Douglas. Our Sentimental Journey is one of only five B-17s around the world actively flying today and was built in November, 1944.
Post-War
After World War II, B-17s were used for other military purposes including photo-mapping, atmospheric nuclear weapon testing drone control, fighting forest fires, and other civilian purposes.
Flight details
There are 2 seats in the nose section: The bombardier seat at the front of the compartment and the navigator seat immediately behind. Passengers are requested to swap seats during the flight so that each passenger may experience either takeoff or the landing in the bombardier’s seat. Passengers in the bombardier/navigator compartment are restricted to that compartment during the flight. Flight time is approximately 20 minutes in the air.
There are 3 seats in the radio room and 3 seats in the waist compartment. In flight, passengers are allowed to move around in these two compartments and enjoy the view through the waist gunners position. Passengers in the radio room/waist compartments are restricted to those two compartments during the flight.
Flight Time is approximately 20 minutes in the air.
Number of Passengers: 8
Price: $475 for Radio Room/Gunner seats (6 total); $850 for Bombardier seats (2 total) – highly coveted in the nose of the airplane enclosed in see-through plexiglass.
Accessibility: Please see disclaimer and boarding video below.
Ear Protection: Earplugs (provided or bring your own)
Flight Intensity: Low (typically less than a commercial airliner)
The B-17 Bomber “Sentimental Journey”
General Characteristics
Type: Heavy/Strategic Bomber
Manufacturer: Boeing (later on Vega and Douglas)
Maiden Flight: 28 July 1935
Introduced: April 1938
Theater of War: World War II
Number Produced: 12,731
Status: Retired in 1968
Our B-17G “Sentimental Journey” was built in November, 1944 at the Douglas plant in California
Dimensions
Crew: 10
Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in
Length: 74 ft 4 in
Height: 19 ft 3 in
Empty Weight: 36,134 lbs
Max Takeoff Weight: 65,500 lbs
Performance
Power Plant: (4) Wright R-1820-97 Cyclone Turbo-Supercharged Radials
Horsepower: 1,200 hp. each
Maximum Speed: 263 knots (302 mph)
Service Ceiling: 36,400 ft
Rate of Climb: 900 ft/min
Range: 3,259 nm (3,750 mi)
Armament: Guns: (13) 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning Machine Guns
Payload: Up to 8,000 lbs ordnance (short range missions of less than 400 mi) and up to 4,500 lbs ordnance (long range missions of up to 800 mi)
Flights on this plane
B-17 Bomber seating chart
- Passengers must be 12 years of age or older. Minors who fly (age 12-17) must have their guardian complete a Minor Hold Harmless agreement and the guardian(s) must be present on the day of flight.
- For safety reasons, all passengers must wear close-toed shoes. No Sandals or flip-flops will be allowed. Long pants are recommended.
- Passenger flight suits will be offered for the duration of flight. Passengers have the option to decline the flight suit if they are wearing long pants.
- All flights take-off from and land at the same airport.
- For your safety and ours, Passengers must be able to enter and exit the aircraft without assistance. Passengers that cannot board without assistance will not be flown. Passengers may be required to demonstrate that they can board and exit the aircraft prior to boarding. Please see the boarding video below for more information.
- There is a minimum number of passengers required to fly this aircraft. If the minimum is not met prior to flight time, the flight will be cancelled.
- Flights may be cancelled due to weather, mechanical, or crew availability
- For safety reasons, no vaping devices are allowed on any of our aircraft
- No Firearms are permitted on the aircraft
- No animals are permitted on the aircraft