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FLIGHTS OF FANCY
- Take a ride in the legendary Boeing B17 flying Fortress, explore the
interior and sample the crew stations in flight Listen to the evocative
sounds of four Wright Cyclone engines during take-off and in flight.- Next, go on a flight right up in the nose of a B25 Mitchell; one of the
most famous medium size day bombers of the wartime era. The first
American bomber to attack Tokyo in the famous Doolittle Raid from
the aircraft carrier, USS Hornet.- Experience the thrill of formation flying with other aircraft and some
really nail biting low level passes over the beach at South Padre island
in Southern Texas. Then return to base and watch the landing "from
the best seat in the house!"- Take a nostalgic trip into the era of the piston engined airliner. Fly in the C47 Dakota, undoubtedly the most famous transport plane of all time.
- Enjoy the scenic beauty of Dorset and Isle of Wight coast. Visit the
flight deck and watch the crew in action.
NORTH AMERICAN B25 MITCHELL
The aircraft you will fly in is the oldest remaining B25, being the fourth off the production line. It was delivered to the Army Air Corps on 25 February 1941 at a cost of $94,000! 9,816 of these bombers were eventually produced. It has a maximum speed of 322 miles per hour and a normal range of 2,000 miles. This aircraft was converted to an RB25 (a VIP aircraft) in 1943 so that it could be used by General "HAP" Arnold, Commander in Chief of the US Army Air Corps. After that it was used by Howard Hughes and when the time came to restore it to its current state, it took 4,000 man hours and cost $200,000.00
BOEING B-17G FLYING FORTRESS - "CHUCKlE"
This famous World War II bomber was manufactured in 1944 by Vega and was used in experimental electronic research. It is painted in the colour scheme of 486th bomb group stationed at Sudbury and whilst it is believed to have seen active service, details are hard to come by. It is now owned by B.C. Vintage FIying Machines of Fort Worth, Texas, and the aircraft is named after the owner's wife "Chuckie" Hospers.
DOUGLAS C47 DAKOTA
G-AMPY is a C47 military DC3 built in 1944 and delivered to the RAF in that year. Post war, the aircraft was operated as a passenger aircraft by Starways of Liverpool, sold to an Icelandic operator until returning once more to the UK for further passenger and freight service out of Jersey. It was purchased by Air Atlantique in 1981/82 and is currenfly operated by them. During 1986 the aircraft was painted in the livery of North-west Orient Airlines of the USA in commemoration of that Airline's 60th anniversary year. The prototype DC3 flew on 17 December 1935 and whilst total production is difficult to estimate, it is thought to be in the region of 13,600.
