Fantasy Campers gather for a group picture in front of the B-17 inside the hanger.

One of the most famous airplanes of World War II is the B-17 Flying Fortress. And here at the B-17 Flying Fantasy Camp we follow campers as they are immersed into the history of the B-17, meet B-17 veterans, and for the experience of a lifetime they climb aboard one of the only flying B-17s left, the Aluminum Overcast, for a 30-minute flight over the skies of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. To get a sense of what it was like being part of a B-17 squadron, pick up a copy of Twelve O'Clock High starring Gregory Peck at your neighborhood video store.

B-17 Flying Fantasy Camp

• The three-day B-17 Fantasy Flight Camp costs $745 which includes meals, lodging and your flight in the Aluminum Overcast.
  
• Campers are immersed in the history of the B-17, meet B-17 veterans and take a private tour of the Air Venture Museum.
  
• The B-17 Flying Fantasy Camp has a maximum of 24 campers.
  
• Between 1935 and 1945 12,731 B-17s were produced. Today fewer than 100 exist.
  
• The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress has a range of 1,850 miles with a cruising speed of 170 mph.
  
• Campers ride in the B-17 for about 30 minutes.
  
• A typical B-17 was good for about 60-80 missions. The record was 157 missions by the B-17 "Ol' Gappy."

Resources

EAA AirVenture Museum
EAA Aviation Foundation
P.O. Box 3065
Oshkosh, WI 54903-3065
800-359-6217
www.b17.org
Cost: Ride in a B-17 Fortress, $700 EAA member, $745 non-member

B-17 Flying Fortress: The Symbol of Second World War Air Power by Frederick A. Johnsen and Walter J. Boyne

United States Air Force Museum
www.wpafb.af.mil
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