B-17G Flying Fortress: Sentimental Journey

There's a special airplane in town! It's a fully restored B-17G flying fortress from World War II called Sentimental Journey. Of course you know how I am. I had read some stories about the plane, but I had to stop and see it for myself.

It was early, before work, and before any of the tours had started for the day. The plane is sitting outside the aviation center, right next to the University Park airport. So I swung by and had a peep before my work day began.

I was standing inside the aviation center when I took this photo. You can only approach the plane if you pay to go on a tour, which is $10 per person. I haven't decided yet if I'll go back and do that while it's still here - the plane will be on display all this week through Monday, the Labor Day holiday.

You may also sign up and pay to take a ride on this plane. The cost is several hundred dollars per seat, the best view (and the most expensive seats) being provided by the bombardier seats in that clear plexiglass section of the nose below the cockpit. That's a little salty for my taste, so I think I'll leave the flying to others! I am told this plane is very loud when all four engines are turned on.

You may recognize on the plane's nose art the image of leggy Betty Grable, the number one pin-up girl of the World War II era. This plane is only one of 10 B-17s in the world still flying; 8,000 of them were lost in combat.

Sentimental Journey was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces for service in 1944, and flew missions in the Pacific Theater. According to a story I found online,  "After her tour in the Pacific, she was transferred to Eglin Field, Fla., and was converted to a DB-17G for service as an air-sea rescue craft."

The plane was later fully restored to the condition you see in the photo above. For the historic airplane buffs, more info may be found here. I've also discovered a short video of the plane on YouTube.

The plane is named after a famous tune from the 1940s, Sentimental Journey, originally sung by Doris Day. I'm also including a version performed by the ladies of the Lawrence Welk Show, as well as a version by Ringo Starr (yes, Ringo Starr).