I went on a flight in their B17 two years ago. I had to save up for the ticket, but it was a lot of fun! And I got a newfound admiration for the aviators flying these planes in combat.

Flew on the B-17 ten years ago. It was the best money spent ever! Just an amazing machine.

And for those on more of a budget, you can fly on a Ford Trimotor this weekend in Hayward for $70:
Web Link

[Portion removed due to disrespectful comment or offensive language] late teens and early twenties; well that was the average age of those brave warriors that flew in these planes, up to ten men in a B-17, with no pressurization and nothing but their flight jackets to stave off high altitude freezing temperatures. They flew into a literal hell of flak and enemy fighter planes with the Americans taking the highest toll since they flew during the day with the British at night. Just imagine being a belly turret gunner sitting in a space not much larger than a big trash can. These heroes were just boys, but in a larger sense greater men than most of us could ever be. God bless the brave men that rode in these mechanical marvels and also for the courageous young women (WASPS) that flew these planes to the combat zones to help the male aviators. Look up and remember this when you see one or more of these planes fly overhead, for our freedom today was paid by the young warriors of the past and present. God Bless America!

Nothing glorious about our history with war. Seems we haven't learned a thing....

A number of movies of these great planes in action during the war are available on YouTube.

If you live in the flight path it is not pleasant to have this over your house every 15 minuets on the weekend when you are trying to relax in your own house with peace and quite. Maybe you can they can send us somewhere so we dont have to listen to this for 3 days straight. Not nice weekend for me.

This page isn't for whining about war. This article speaks to the history of this amazing aircraft. Nothing more, nothing less. As far as the other complainer about the flight path, gee, maybe you should have thought about that before buying the house. You can always move if it's that traumatic. I can't wait to see the B17.

I'm on the pro side of these tours. Flying in a World War 2 bomber is a great thing to do. To those on the flight path are annoyed at this only-during-the-day, once per year phenomenon, there are more annoying things like 6AM garbage pickups.

Loved having those beautiful machines flying overhead this weekend. The radial engines on the B-25 produce one of the most glorious sounds ever.

Huge thanks to those who keep them flying as a tribute to the brave men who flew them 70+ yrs ago.

They roared over me every so often this weekend. I'm right on the flight path and it was fun to see them in the skies. People snivel about the Blue Angels too. Some people just like to snivel about stuff. If this ruined your weekend, I have a feeling something else just as minor would have done it anyway.
They looked so regal up there. I kept the binoculars close!

I also enjoyed seeing this magnificent machines in the skies this weekend. The B-17 flew over the farmers market Sunday morning, was really neat to watch.

of course people complain about anything.

Look at the Grocery Outlet whining in Palo Alto.

After the lot sat mostly empty and junky for ages, new plans popped up.

First the people in the immediate area were asking for a community center, and demanding the apts/homes in the area have dibs on it's use. Some also wanted dedicated parking for--only them.

Then fast forward and the Grocery Outlet goes in. People complain about the sign being to big. The sign you can't fully see unless you are a block away.

Meanwhile-assuming they really were residents of that area-- these same people are just fine with 3/4 of the houses leaving their garbage cans along the curb for 4,5,6 days. Just fine with the rats nest of wires you can see all along that stretch.

Their neighborhood looks like many of the junkiest old side roads along 101 on the way to San Francisco. They should be happy something breaks up the swath of junky old cars and garbage cans.

"If you live in the flight path it is not pleasant"

So why did you move there?

"Nothing glorious about our history with war"

These planes were used to end the war, not start it.

Can any recommend a good viewing site to watch the planes land and take off? We have young toddlers, so not sure if they would appreciate the tour.

They do love watching planes fly though, so any suggestions would be great!

Thank you!

Many "bombers" were used in humanitarian efforts, dropping food and medical supplies to civilians cut off from these things due to the German blockade.
I LOVE seeing these life saving planes celebrated as they should be.

Patty, try the frontage road that goes towards 237 from the VTA Bayshore/NASA station near Ellis street. Unless they've tightened things up, you can hand out there while they fly which is usually in the PM. Alternatively, go on base to where they park the planes in the afternoon and ask if you can come in while they fly.

I was reading a mystery set in WWII era Germany on Sunday and looked up to see a B17 flying overhead. Such a sight. I grew up in post-WWII Britain and we were raised to appreciate the work of the amazing flyers who did so much to liberate Europe. It was a treat to see the real thing in the air.

The frontage road is called Manila Drive.

5,000 people come each year to the American Cemetery in Margratten, Netherlands. They come to honor the men who died in planes like these because freedom is not an abstraction to those who have suffered under tyranny. They honor all the men, but for me...they honor my Uncle Bill, a bombardier on a B-17F, Mr. Five-By-Five, who was shot down off the coast of Holland. And they honor his brother Bob, a B-24 pilot who died trying to land his damaged plane in a farm field in northern Germany. it was the only chance they had because they were too low to bail out as they came in from the North Sea.

So no, we are not honoring machines. We are honoring the men who flew them into combat with the full knowledge, especially in 1943 and early 1944, that they were more likely to be shot down than they were to come home. The machines were built in safety. The men went into the cauldron of war and many never came back again. God bless them all.

@ Mc Comber Boy
Thank you and God Bless you too. :)