Video: hitching a ride aboard B-24 Ol’ 927 at Addison’s Cavanaugh Flight Museum

by John P. Meyer

Thanks to the beneficence of the Commemorative Air Force (with special appreciation to JC Elliott and B-29/B-24 Squadron Wing Leader Lyn Fite), I was able to hitch a ride aboard Ol' 927, one of only two flight-worthy B-24s remaining in service (the other being this one).

Friday (May 15) marked the ceremonial rollout of Ol' 927 for the season, and lots of veteran crewmen were on hand at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum to mark the occasion.

As the video begins, pilot Paul Stojkov gives us the preflight orientation, which amounts to: a) it's going to be a bumpy ride; b) vomit has a corrosive effect on the flight controls and bulkheads; c) they call it the Commemorative Air Force in reference - and reverence - to those brave airmen and airwomen who fought and died for our country, and the planes they did it in; and d) if the plane crashes, we should get the frak out through any of the numerous apertures in the airframe - preferably ones that aren't high above the ground. Paul finishes by introducing us to our guests of honor, Addison mayor Joe Chow and his lovely wife Chi Chi Lin.

The reason it's going to be a bumpy ride is because our mission is a photographic one. We (passengers and crew of Ol' 927) will serve as a mobile airborne target for ace aviation photographer Bull Crump, who will be back-seating in the T-6 Texan trainer that will be shadowing us throughout the flight. At one point he will also be performing a quite acrobatic roll under the bomber (if a passenger can be said to "perform" an acrobatic maneuver), though he isn't aware of that just yet.

Also on board our lumbering four-engine aircraft is Jack Ridley, a mild-mannered educational services manager for Sinar Bron Imaging. Jack's father flew B-24s before becoming a test pilot and flight engineer on the X-1 team; he was the guy who jury-rigged a broom handle so Chuck Yeager could close the hatch of his plane prior to the successful sound-barrier-breaking flight that made him famous - without giving away the fact that he couldn't use his right arm (due to some broken ribs).

The rest of this thing needs no narration. Enjoy the ride.

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