Have you ever been in a B-17 bomber?
If not - you might have your chance soon.
Public flights will be offered on April 9th at Meadows Field Airport to be able to ride a B-17 bomber plane which was used 70 years ago in World War 2.
The sound of the engine, the speed of the propellers, breathing in the fact that you are about to step on a plane which so many others have taken in our dark past to fight for our freedom we currently have. Here is what John Eads, a mechanic for Liberty Foundation, had to say.
"A lot of times it is just an honor to fly on it. When we have our world war two veterans out or family members that are remembering the world war two veterans, you can feel that energy around them. The hair start standing up on the back of your neck and its like ok! I felt that one!"
You can feel the energy stepping on board. People of all ages walking into the cockpit taking in the history and learning that over three hundred thousand lives were lost. Here is what Pilot Lyon said about the journey.
"Not many people in this world get to fly B-17’s on any kind of regular basis and i am one of the lucky few so every time i get to fly it, it’s a thrilling experience. A little bit of history, a little nostalgia, a lot of fun. It pushes your capabilities, your skill level, keeps you sharp. So it’s a thrill."
The plane is in town to honor our veterans who lost their lives in world war two. More than 4,700 veterans died on these B-17’s. Touching back down, you step off the plane feeling something new and a thankfulness of for what we have today, which is what Pilot Lyon feels every time he flies the Madras Maiden. This is what he said about the experience.
"With them getting close to the airplane, the stories start coming out. The memories come back so vividly. They have to talk about it and we had family members that have come out and said i never heard that story before and everybody who is around them is in dead silence. A lot of tears start flowing because people are feeling the emotion that these people are living again."
You can experience this thrill while remembering our veterans on April 9th from 10AM to 5PM at Meadows Field Airport. Like the Liberty Foundation says, “Come touch the past and fly through ageless skies” and live, what occurred seventy years ago, that helped us be what we are today.
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