Aluminum Overcast Visits Cedar Rapids During 2014 D-Day + 70 Years - Part 3

Me in front of the Aluminum Overcast yesterday at the Eastern Iowa airport in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

People gathered to see the warbird. A trailer housed the merchandising portion of the ground support group. 

Nose section of the B-17. That's the Norton bombsite in the front. Shhh, its still a secret.

US markings on the left fuselage of the Aluminum Overcast B-17.

Aluminum Overcast Visits Cedar Rapids During 2014 D-Day + 70 Years - Part 2

A friendly smile from a EAA volunteer who helps to organize the next list of passengers and allows others to view the B-17 aircraft close up.

The Aluminum Overcast flight crew in uniform. The pilot is on the left and the copilot is the second from the left.

The business end of a B-17. We were told that all thirteen machine guns on board B-17s only had ammunition belts that stretched nine yards long - 27 feet! That was enough for a continuous one minute burst.That's "Lee" in the enclosure.

The aircraft maintenance guy told me that he only worries when these engines STOP dripping oil.

A different angle on an old warbird. Aluminum Overcast will be here in Cedar Rapids through today, June 8, 2014 before going to the next city on the tour.

Aluminum Overcast Visits Cedar Rapids During D-Day + 70 Years - Part 1

One of perhaps 13 flying B-17s left in the world is Aluminum Overcast, a B-17G Flying Fortress from the WWII era.

Today, June 7th is D-Day +70 Years and one day, was also day two of the B-17 visit to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Aluminum Overcast last visited our post on the prairie in 2010. There are many area vets, relatives and interested people who came for a look at a piece of aviation history.

A local EAA volunteer takes photos of the plane for her collection. She also offered to photograph visitors using their camera and helped people get safely around the aircraft.The B-17's pilot and his copilot can be seen on the far right.

Filled with 10 paying passengers, Aluminum Overcast needs only a short distance to take off and land. The aircraft flies around the Cedar Rapids area for about 30 minutes. During this visit I have seen and heard it flying slowly around town at relatively low altitudes on four different occasions. Last year Fifi the only flying B-29 provided the same type of visit.

This is Aluminum Overcast's tail gunner. The dummy sports goggles, mask and a helmet from the WWII era. His scarf is stitched with the name of Lee. The historic aircraft will be here through tomorrow (Sunday, June 8th). Go to the former PS Air terminal on the west side of the airport by FEDEX operations. The ground walk around of the plane is free. Cost to go inside is $10 and $449 person to fly in WWII bomber comfort for 30 minutes. Call ahead of time, I believe one of the support crew told me only a few seats remain for Sunday series of flights.