In Flight Aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress

Want to travel in time? To visit the future, you'll have to pay the Russians millions to fly you up to the International Space Station. But for just a few hundred bucks, anyone can turn back the clock 60 years by going for a flight aboard a World War II-era bomber.

"Nine O Nine" is a B-17G Flying Fortress that was restored by theCollings Foundation. One of only fourteen B-17s still flying in the United States, the group also flies a restored B-24 Liberator and a B-25J Mitchell.

I went for a flight aboard the B-17 when it visited Moffett Field, California in 2002, and it was worth every penny. The Collings Foundation has now finalized their 2006 schedule, which will take these three warbirds to dozens of airports across the U.S. (Mark your calendars, kids.)

It's worth dropping by, if only to experience what it's like when these planes come alive with all engines running. And if you've got a few extra shekels to spend, just follow this link to reserve a space on a flight. The flights last 30 minutes, and they cost about as much as a roundtrip airline ticket from New York to LA. But as time-travel experiences go... it's a bargain.

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items are from 02 Jun 2002.