“B-17 to Munich”, starring David Hasselhoff! Coming Soon to a Theater Near You!

I spared a smirk when I looked up to see my departure gate (pictured here) from O’Hare for the first leg of my journey. B-17’s were one of the Allied Forces bomber “work horses” during World War II, often performing deep behind enemy lines into Germany and without the protection of fighter escorts or the ability to operate from the exceptionally high altitudes (like our modern day B-52’s enjoy) necessary to avoid substantial anti-aircraft flak or fighter attacks. The movie “Memphis Belle” features the first B-17 crew to complete a successful tour of duty, and while it’s a good movie, it also seeks to outline the dangers inherent to flying in a thin metal tube laden with high explosives while men not predisposed to your health and wellbeing are lobbing lead from every conceivable projectile based weapon at you as you fly noisily overhead in large groups (think “large, slow geese”…not our current invisible and noiseless “stealth bombers”). Still, I chose to perceive this as a good omen and not a bad one. Your call.