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War War II bombers visit Stafford Regional Airport
Date published: 10/28/2008 By Jonas Beals Jonas Beals
Anyone who has seen a World War II movie would recognize the scene: A B-17 bomber lumbers to a landing with a puff of tire smoke. Moments later, a TP-51 Mustang fighter plane buzzes the runway, a low-flying flash of silver. This is no black-and-white footage of an Allied airstrip in 1942--this actually happened last week at the Stafford Regional Airport. It's telling that, for many Americans, movies are their only connection to that time of global conflict. WWII veterans are dying every day, and it won't be long until direct personal contact with that historic moment is gone forever. Museums can inform the public through exhibits and displays, but photos and static artifacts don't convey a complete picture. Perhaps nothing can, but the Collings Foundation comes close with its "living aviation history" exhibits. The 2008 Wings of Freedom tour made one of its final stops of the year in Stafford. Three planes touched down last Wednesday: the "Betty Jane," a North American TP-51C Mustang; the "Nine O Nine" Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress; and the "Tondelayo" North American B-25J Mitchell. Unlike most museum pieces, these are in full working order, complete with the sounds, smells and feel that World War II pilots experienced. They even sport the notable (and sometimes racy) nose art that became as well-known as the planes themselves. Volunteers fly the planes across the country, stopping at airports along the way and performing the daily maintenance required to keep the classic fliers in the air. After the planes hit the tarmac in Stafford and taxied to a safe location, they were available for close inspection by the public. The B-17 was opened for people to crawl through, allowing a unique look at one of the most famous military aircraft ever produced. Fred Lewis spends much "We want people to experience the aircraft," he said. "But most of all, we want people to remember the boys who flew them. Some of them were as young as 18. It's hard to believe what they did." Jonas Beals: 540/368-5036
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