FLY The FORTRESS NOV. 29-30th B-17 Aluminum Overcast at KDTN
- November 17th, 2011
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Join us for an unforgettable experience aboard a WWII-era bomber
Touring the United States since 1994, tens of thousands have experienced the allure of EAA’s fully restored B-17 “Flying Fortress” Aluminum Overcast. History comes alive at each stop, prompting aviation and history enthusiasts alike to take a step back in time.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to take a mission flight or ground tour when Aluminum Overcast comes to town.
Experience the role of bombardier, navigator, and waist gunner as you walk around the aircraft. Relive the legacy of the thousands who heroically flew World War II bombing missions.
Mission Flight Experience: $439 for general public. $399 for EAA members. / Ground tours: $5 individual, $15 Family, Veterans and Active duty Military: free
Book a flight in advance here or call 1.800.FLY.NB17 (1.800.359.6217) or email b17reservations@eaa.org for more information.
Another mission successfully completed by two (Bob Kendrick, L-4 and Hugh Hunton, L-3) of the three Blunderbirds (Jim Malone had to work, L-2). A desperate phone call by the Mayor of Ida, Louisiana, who had planned a gala reunion of WWII’s 357th Fighter Group, pleading for a fly-over of L-birds after his scheduled P-51 had aborted the day before the event. Pretty neat, substituting L-birds for a P-51! The gathering had dual purposes; first, to honor Ida native and WWII P-51 ace Fletcher Adams who was shot down and killed in May 1944, and secondly, to dedicate a museum for Adams and members of the 357th. The featured speaker was BGen Chuck Yeager. The Shreveport Times had an article on the event in which the Blunderbirds were honorably mentioned. The following is an extract from that article:
“The major setbacks for the day were Gov Bobby Jindal sending his regrets due to tropical storm Bonnie threatening the Gulf Coast, and the break down of a P-51 Mustang scheduled to perform a flyover. Instead, two World War II-vintage Liaison planes flew patterns overhead”. I guess we were part of the “Major Setback”!
Hugh
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And George said:
These two aircraft were flown by their respective owners. Bob Kendrick is flying his L4 and Hugh Hunton is flying his L3 Aeronca! A tremendous thanks goes out to each of these memebers for helping in this event!
GC
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If I heard Mayor Smokie Maddox correctly, he called Hugh and Bob at 1pm and they asked what time to be there. Smokie apologized and told them 2:30 and they said we will be there and at 2:30 on the dot they came around the Ida water tower and saved the day!
M H
Read the story in the times here :
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20100725/NEWS01/7250334/1060