Some history about this plane...On September 9, 1944 the 390th Bomb Group attacked a target in Dusseldorf, Germany and suffered its second largest single mission loss of the war. Over the target just prior to bomb release, one of the low squadron B-17s was hit in the bomb bay by flak. The 1000 lb. bombs exploded and nine of the twelve aircraft in the squadron were instantly destroyed or knocked out of formation. Six of the nine went down over the target, one flew two hours on a single engine and landed at Paris, another "crippled plane" landed in Belgium and the other struggled back to its home base and landed long after the other thirty nine B-17s had returned from the mission. The one that came home was the original "Liberty Belle". She went on to complete 64 combat missions before being salvaged on February 18, 1945.
Here we are in line walking up to the plane...
A total of 12,732 B-17’s were produced from 1935–1945. Today, fewer than 100 exist and fewer still are in airworthy condition.
The Liberty Foundation’s B-17 “Liberty Belle” is one of only 14 B-17’s that still fly today. “Liberty Belle” was built towards the end of the war and never saw any combat. It is painted in the colors and nose art of the original “Liberty Belle” B-17 that flew countless missions with the 390th bomb group of the 8th Airforce.
This actual plane did not see combat in World War II and was originally sold on June 25, 1947 as scrap to Esperado Mining Co. of Altus, OK and later sold again later that year to Pratt & Whitney for $2,700. Pratt & Whitney operated the B-17 from November 19, 1947 to 1967 as a heavily modified test bed for their turboprop engine. Following the test flights, it was donated to the Connecticut Aeronautical Historic Association, where a tornado on October 3, 1979 blew another aircraft onto the B-17’s mid-section, breaking the fuselage. It was eventually purchased by aviation enthusiast Don Brooks who formed the Liberty Foundation to exhibit the plane as the "Liberty Belle." Restoration began in 1992.
Getting ready to climb into the plane by way of the hole at the top of the ladder. 
Just look at the excitement on Joe's face!
We decided I'd better go up the ladder first to help guide Joe since it takes a few minutes for his eyes to adjust from light to dark...
This is the cockpit...
It's "Gunner Joe"...
This actual plane did not see combat in World War II and was originally sold on June 25, 1947 as scrap to Esperado Mining Co. of Altus, OK and later sold again later that year to Pratt & Whitney for $2,700. Pratt & Whitney operated the B-17 from November 19, 1947 to 1967 as a heavily modified test bed for their turboprop engine. Following the test flights, it was donated to the Connecticut Aeronautical Historic Association, where a tornado on October 3, 1979 blew another aircraft onto the B-17’s mid-section, breaking the fuselage. It was eventually purchased by aviation enthusiast Don Brooks who formed the Liberty Foundation to exhibit the plane as the "Liberty Belle." Restoration began in 1992.
Getting ready to climb into the plane by way of the hole at the top of the ladder. 
Just look at the excitement on Joe's face!We decided I'd better go up the ladder first to help guide Joe since it takes a few minutes for his eyes to adjust from light to dark... This is the cockpit...
Joe climbing up behind the cockpit seats after crawling through the hole and up between the seats...
And this is the scary part for me...helping Joe walk on the narrow plank between where the bombs were stored. He had to be careful so that his foot didn't step off of it and hurt himself.
It's "Gunner Joe"... This is the exit door which is signed by airmen who have ridden and/or toured the airplane...
In missions that lasted up to 10 hours at altitudes up to 35,000 feet – where jets travel now – B-17 crews, usually 10 men all well under the age of 30, would fly these thin-skinned, unpressurized bombers into skies filled with exploding anti-aircraft fire and highly-trained German pilots flying advanced Messerschmitt fighter planes. Their only protection was a dozen or so .50 caliber machine guns mounted throughout the plane and a limited amount of ammunition.
On good days, P-51 Mustang fighter planes, known as “little friends” to bomber crews, would accompany the waves of B-17 “Forts” headed to bomb well-defended Nazi targets. But on many missions, the B-17s were on their own.
As the waves of planes made their way to their targets, temperatures could plummet to 40 degrees below zero at high altitudes. Crew members donned lined flight suits that made them look like Eskimos except for the oxygen masks they wore that kept them conscious so far up.
B-17s have no insulation, no heaters, no toilets, no cabin pressurization and zero creature comforts. They are pure instruments of war, designed to drop ordnance on the enemy and then return to base as many times as possible.
Of the more than 12,700 B-17 bombers built, more than 4,500 – about 1 in 3 – were lost during the war. More than 45,000 men would never come home from their B-17 sorties into enemy airspace. Yet, U.S. crews climbed into these planes time after time to beat back the horror of Nazi fascism that was choking the life out of Europe. They knew the odds, and they went anyway. They had faith in their airplane, and in each other.
The toughness of the B-17 is legendary. The aircraft could absorb enormous amounts of damage and still claw its way back home or make a somewhat safe landing. B-17s would return from missions riddled with bullet holes, often missing parts of their tails, wings and noses and limping in on one or two engines. Once the planes ran out of ammunition for their guns over enemy airspace, they were reduced to being live target practice for the Luftwaffe, which tore them to shreds. German airmen aimed for the B-17’s pilots, the engines and the fuel tanks.
So, here's a picture of us after experiencing a piece of history...
In missions that lasted up to 10 hours at altitudes up to 35,000 feet – where jets travel now – B-17 crews, usually 10 men all well under the age of 30, would fly these thin-skinned, unpressurized bombers into skies filled with exploding anti-aircraft fire and highly-trained German pilots flying advanced Messerschmitt fighter planes. Their only protection was a dozen or so .50 caliber machine guns mounted throughout the plane and a limited amount of ammunition. On good days, P-51 Mustang fighter planes, known as “little friends” to bomber crews, would accompany the waves of B-17 “Forts” headed to bomb well-defended Nazi targets. But on many missions, the B-17s were on their own.
As the waves of planes made their way to their targets, temperatures could plummet to 40 degrees below zero at high altitudes. Crew members donned lined flight suits that made them look like Eskimos except for the oxygen masks they wore that kept them conscious so far up.
B-17s have no insulation, no heaters, no toilets, no cabin pressurization and zero creature comforts. They are pure instruments of war, designed to drop ordnance on the enemy and then return to base as many times as possible.
Of the more than 12,700 B-17 bombers built, more than 4,500 – about 1 in 3 – were lost during the war. More than 45,000 men would never come home from their B-17 sorties into enemy airspace. Yet, U.S. crews climbed into these planes time after time to beat back the horror of Nazi fascism that was choking the life out of Europe. They knew the odds, and they went anyway. They had faith in their airplane, and in each other.
The toughness of the B-17 is legendary. The aircraft could absorb enormous amounts of damage and still claw its way back home or make a somewhat safe landing. B-17s would return from missions riddled with bullet holes, often missing parts of their tails, wings and noses and limping in on one or two engines. Once the planes ran out of ammunition for their guns over enemy airspace, they were reduced to being live target practice for the Luftwaffe, which tore them to shreds. German airmen aimed for the B-17’s pilots, the engines and the fuel tanks.
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