I am beyond excited!!!

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg)
03/26/2015 at 12:16 • Filed to: None

I got 2 tickets to go for a plane ride on Fifi, the world's only flying B-29 Superfortress bomber!

My dad's birthday is coming up next month. He's the hardest man in the world to shop for, pretty much the only thing hes like to do is work and he doesn't really have any hobbies. If you ask him what he wants he always says "You don't have to get me anything." If pressed, he responds "How about some blue jeans, oh, and I could use a gray sweatshirt."

To make a long story short, I found out the CAF is going to be in 3 different cities near us in the next 2 months, and they will be offering rides in WW-II planes. They have everything from AT-6 Texan trainers all the way up to P-51 Mustangs, and an assortment of bombers! But what really caught my eye was the B-29. My grandfather, dad's dad, was a B-29 training instructor during WW-II, so I think this would mean something special to him. I know it does to me. I called my mom and sister last night and ran it by both of them and they agreed that it would be great. So I just booked 2 tickets, one for him (and hopefully the other for me) and now I'm beside myself with anticipation!

DISCUSSION (30)

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:19

That, my friend, is an awesome gift!

For Sweden > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:21

Will we get a full Oppo review?

FJ80WaitinForaLSV8 > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:22

Very cool, take lots of pictures

Snuze: Needs another Swede > For Sweden
03/26/2015 at 12:30

Absolutely!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole
03/26/2015 at 12:31

Thank you. I'm feel a little bit selfish because I really want to do it too, and that was part of the motivation, but I really think it would mean a lot to my dad too. And it beats jeans and a gray sweatshirt.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > FJ80WaitinForaLSV8
03/26/2015 at 12:32

I will. I'm even going to take my good Nikon, no potato pictures for this trip.

ttyymmnn > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:32

That's fantastic. I've seen Fifi a couple of times, but the chance to go for a flight would be incredible.

Rock Bottom > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:37

Awesome! Also, if you live within road-trip distance of Oshkosh Wisconsin, you should go see the soon-to-be second airworthy B-29, Doc . I know that the plan is to fly it there this year. I can't wait to see both Fifi and Doc together!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > ttyymmnn
03/26/2015 at 12:39

Yeah, I'm really excited about it. I was looking at CAFs site and they have a lot of different planes that you can fly in, but they can get quite pricey. Still, I see it as a once in a life time opportunity, so I jumped on it.

Jcarr > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:41

Super jealous. I've seen her a few times at airshows (and hopefully again this summer at Oshkosh with Doc, the soon to be 2nd airworthy B-29), but I've never been inside.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Rock Bottom
03/26/2015 at 12:41

I've heard a little bit about the restoration work on Doc, and I think it's incredible. I'm so glad that there are people out there dedicated to preserving these machines and the history they represent.

Unfortunately I'm in Virigina, we will be flying out of Baltimore in mid-May. I would like to make it up to Oshkosh sometime though, I've heard its amazing, so it may be a good road-trip destination.

How this all started, though, was my friend telling me about the MAAM WW-II Airshow up in Reading PA in June. That's when I learned about the CAF and their flight programs. That weekend is almost completely booked up, but I got looking at their schedule and discovered the Baltimore flights, so that works out a lot better for me. But I'm still going to try to get up to Reading with my friend.

ttyymmnn > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:45

And it's a great way to support the mission of the CAF. If I lived in Midland I'd see if I could volunteer with them.

E. Julius > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:46

Wow what a great gift! If you don't mind, what does something like that cost?

03mach1 - Now has a Fiesta ST > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:52

Awesome! I went to a CAF show a year or two ago for my aviation class and it was great. So many cool planes, I never had the chance to fly in one though. Fifi is quite the plane in person, you're lucky! Definitely write about your experience, I'm looking forward to what you have to say!

phenotyp > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 12:58

Seriously, seriously fantastic. That is amazing.

Brian, The Life of > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 13:03

And I'm beyond

Kinja'd!!!

Jcarr > E. Julius
03/26/2015 at 13:10

According the latest pricing on their website it's $575+ per ticket. Takes a lot of money to keep that thing flying.

E. Julius > Jcarr
03/26/2015 at 13:11

Welp, they've kept it going for 70 years, figure it will probably still be flying by the time I can afford it.

Jcarr > Rock Bottom
03/26/2015 at 13:13

I'll definitely be there. Do you regularly go to AirVenture?

Jcarr > E. Julius
03/26/2015 at 13:17

Better start pinching those pennies. With old aircraft like these, something like this is always a possibility:

Kinja'd!!!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > E. Julius
03/26/2015 at 13:18

Thanks. For the B-29, they have 10 or 11 spaces open for riders. There are 5 or 6 spots in the tail gun stations, which is a separate compartment aft of the bomb bay, and these go for $570 each. The 3 flight crew spots (where we're flying) are in a compartment behind the cockpit, and they go for for $1000 each. The flight observer spot, which is in the cockpit just behind the pilot, goes for $1250, and the bombardier spot, up in the nose, goes for $1500. These are all online booking prices, you can do it at the air shows, but it's at least $100 more per station.

E. Julius > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 13:21

Thanks! Can't wait until I can do something like this for my parents.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > E. Julius
03/26/2015 at 13:40

Yeah, it's a lot of fun, especially if it's something you can do with them. I always feel really fortunate that I have a good relationship with my parents, and it's nice to be able to do stuff like this for them. I wasn't a bad kid, really, but they did put up with all my crap as a child, and did a lot for me, so it's nice to be able to give something back.

BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast. > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 13:46

Screw radar radomes... they should make planes with full-fuselage-radius glass paneled noses again!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > ttyymmnn
03/26/2015 at 13:57

Agreed, I love that they are preserving these old war-birds and their history.

I'm going to the MAAM WW-II show up Reading PA later in June. I'm starting to get really interested in WW-II re-enacting. It would be a good excuse to get a Willys Jeep.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
03/26/2015 at 13:59

Agreed. It's such a beautiful look for an aircraft.

Rock Bottom > Jcarr
03/26/2015 at 14:04

I only went once, back in 2008. I was working at Beechcraft and they put a few of us on a King Air and shipped us up for the day. I'm likely not going to make it this year, but I really want to go!

Jcarr > Rock Bottom
03/26/2015 at 14:19

I've been going since the early 90s (missed a few but I think this will be my 18th trip). Never gets old.

Axial > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 15:50

Jealous!

I've always wanted to sit in the ventral ball turret of one of those old bombers while in flight.

Manic Otti > Snuze: Needs another Swede
03/26/2015 at 16:34

Nice! I've flown in a B-25 & a B-17 and both experiences were awesome.