On Saturday May 23, 1998 we went to the Watsonville Antique Fly-In. Watsonville is on the Pacific Coast just a few miles south of Santa Cruz which is just over the coastal mountains west of San Jose (I live in Sunnyvale which is a few miles north of San Jose). We got there early in the morning to get in line to ride the B-17. Surprise. It's $300 for a half-hour ride (it costs $2000 per hour to operate the plane) plus a $40 fee for joining the EAA, which owns and runs the plane. Well, how often do you get this chance? We ponied up the dough. I'm eating noodles for the next month.

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Here is your shot of the noseart, and a festive hot air balloon hovering overhead. The balloons came down quick when the planes starting taking to the air. 27,908 bytes

Here's the tail gunner position. Note that the top bubble turret on this plane is a replica. This plane was built too late to see any sort of war action. The plane was sold for cheap ($750) and did some crop dusting duty before finally landing in the care of the EAA which takes it to dozens of air shows yearly. 21,498 bytes

This is just a ground shot of the side of the B-17. But the wing looks a bit prodigious and the fuselage looks quite unimpressive as form goes. Looks deceive. 54,144 bytes

Another ground shot of the B-17 from side/behind. 32,345 bytes

Before we board the plane we take a look at people taking a look at the nose. 37,461 bytes

The lower ball turret was a big hit with young 'uns and older folk alike. This turret was entered from the ground by the gunner. He was not able to exit the ball until the plane landed. No access from this turret into the fuselage! 49,270 bytes

We're inside! This shot is from the waist section where the middle 50-cal machines are, looking forward toward the cockpit. 37,084 bytes

From the waist section you go through the communications section and squeeze through the bombbay which has a skinny catwalk that takes you to the cockpit. Crawl underneath the cockpit and here's what you see -- the nose bubble section. This is the bombardier's sights. 51,616 bytes

Crawl up a couple more feet and here is what you see before actually setting your butt into the chair. 36,853 bytes

Sit in the bombardier's chair and look straight down. This is what you see. Kowabunga! 37,077 bytes

After gazing around in the nose, I crawled out and took a shot of the cockpit. 23,067 bytes

Hmm. We're pointing the camera at 90 degrees out of the waist section windows, and here's what we see. Obviously we are in a steep bank. This is the Santa Cruz pier, which is just north of the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. 81,090 bytes

Just a few seconds after the steep bank turn we have our machine guns seemingtly trained on the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor. 62,917 bytes

Just a few seconds after the Santa Cruz Yacht Harbor is what looks like Pajaro Dunes, a ritzy collection of expensive beach houses on the Monterey Bay coast. This is where I met my best female friend Nancie and where my friend John lost his girlfriend Mary because he was too busy at Global Village to make it to weekend getaways at Pajaro Dunes. Sigh. 30,392 bytes

Sitting in the middle of the plane between the cockpit and the waist where the side machine guns are. I know I look ill but I'm not susceptible to air sickness as far as I know. I'm just thinking "Hurry up and take my picture so I can go up front to the nose!"