Collings bomber camp

[cco23i]

Here is the new updated link for the next bomber camp. No dates yet but as soon as they come in I will post it.

Scott


http://www.collingsfoundation.org/cf_FantasyCamp2011.htm

 

[Fletch]

You ride the plane, but as a crewman, it's all about teh guns!

Live rounds will be used at gunnery range and blanks will be used during the mission. Each crewmember will be issued: 50 rounds / 50 cal. blank, 10 rounds / 50 cal. live, 15 shot gun rounds, shotgun and targets. Additional ammo will be available for purchase at location.

How much would they charge me to ride as a Technical Observer?

 

[cco23i]

What you see is what happens. We are instructors for the gunnery section and we load the bombs (concrete). There is no TO slots, sorry.

Scott

 

[cco23i]

The dates are the 1st and 2nd of June 2011.

Scott

 

[Fletch]

A photo-recon workshop would be really special...shooting fighter passes, dummy bomb runs, or just scenic vistas on real wartime equipment...then doing your own prints back at the base...

 

[cco23i]

I know they have the Beech fly along with the 24 to film the mission and MANY photographers running around during the preflight sections of the camp. PM me with further ideas I can pass them on.

Scott

 

[cco23i]

More info!

Yes, you will receive full training for the ball turret on our ground trainer and will be able to ride in the ball turret powered up in flight too. The ball turret is about the best part of the camp and if the timing is right you have the best possible view of the bombs falling from the bomb bay. In one of the videos you can see the bomb dropping and the gal in the ball turret was pointing in the other direction. She missed seeing the bomb dropping just behind her back!

Yes the B-17 will be used in the bomber camp too. We just need to get Gary and the awesome guys that work at American Aero Services to make sure the ball turrets in both the B-17 and the B-24 get the heavy maintenance they need while the bombers are in his care. How about it Gary!!

We also intend to get the other turrets up and running too starting with the Martin 250 upper turret in the B-24 and then the tail turret and nose turret. I have a Martin 250 that is going in the ground training turret truck which will come in handy for training Bomber Camp trainees in the B-24 and our upcoming Torpedo Camp in the Harpoon

In the B-17 the tail turret will be opened up in flight for use against the ME-262... Next we will try to get the Sperry upper and then chin turret going. Live 50 cal fire will continue in the B-24 and the B-17. We hope to fire guns in flight in the ball turrets too in the future like we did here on the ground: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4GS1PND7pA

Our campers must like it because several folks keep coming back and they even bring more friends and family along too. It really is an awesome event that we keep improving each year. One repeat camper said it was like attending two different camps because of the changes and improvements we had made last year.

We will get to Wendover some time Tom as your base is by far the perfect setting for any of our bomber camps especially Atomic Bomber Camp. Can we use your autograph bomb to recreate this shot? I have the truck...

http://www.twinbeech.com/images/vehicles/federal/c2wrecker/c2wartime/DSC01681web.jpg