B-17 ‘Flying Fortress’ Sentimental Journey to visit Madras Airport
MESA, Ariz. (KTVZ) -- The Airbase Arizona Flying Museum is bringing one of the most iconic warplanes from World War II to visit Madras Municipal Airport, August 23-29.
Rides and ground tours may be purchased for their B-17, Sentimental Journey. The public can experience a Living History Flight in a fully restored B-17 Bomber on Thursday through Sunday August 26-29. The aircraft will also be in the Airshow of the Cascades in Madras on Friday and Saturday. For more information on the airshow, go to www.cascadeairshow.com.
The aircraft will be open to the public at Erickson for ground tours Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 am-6 pm, and Sunday from 2-6 pm. During the airshow, it will be open Friday from 2-10 pm and Saturday 9 am-1 pm. To schedule a ride, book online at www.azcaf.org/tour or call 480-462-2992.
The B-17 Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey is one of only five currently flying in the world out of over 12,000 manufactured for combat during WWII – and is the leading exhibition warbird in The Flying Legends of Victory Tour conducted by CAF Airbase Arizona, a non-profit flying museum.
The Boeing B-17 was most famous for operations in Europe, but was used in every theater of war from 1941-45. B-17 cruise speed was about 160 miles per hour; maximum altitude was 36,000 feet. At high bombing altitudes in unheated aircraft, extreme temperatures subjected many crew members to frostbite.
Sentimental Journey was originally manufactured and delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces for war service in 1944 – too late for European service, but flew missions in the Pacific Theater. After the war, she flew for training, testing ,and air-sea rescue missions and was eventually sold for surplus and used as a fire bomber.
In 1978 the aircraft was purchased by a Commemorative Air Force (CAF) member and donated to the newly formed Arizona unit of the world-famous CAF. She was meticulously restored and is today maintained in tip-top condition and operated by all-volunteer crews from the membership of CAF Airbase Arizona.
The Airbase Arizona Flying Museum, a unit of the Commemorative Air Force, has operated from historic Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona for over 40 years providing inspiring and educational experiences to young and old. Its annual aircraft touring programs, living history flights and its top-rated exhibition museum in Mesa, Arizona are available to the public
year-round. Its mission is to ‘Educate - Inspire – and Honor,’ through its many programs of flight and living history experiences. Airbase Arizona is a not-for-profit educational organization, designated Blue Star Family Museum and is affiliated with the Smithsonian.
