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One of the last flying WWII B-17 bombers, “Sentimental Journey,” will be available for cockpit tours and public flights at the Region of Waterloo International Airport, June 27 – June 30, 2014.
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was the primary bomber used by the American Air Force against Nazi Germany. Of the 12,731 B-17s originally built, less than ten remain in flying condition and only a very few fly regularly. 922 B-17s were lost in combat over Europe, with a loss of nearly 10,000 airmen. The U.S. 8th Air Force suffered the majority of these losses. Sentimental Journey proudly displays the markings of the 457th Bomb Group in their remembrance. Nose art of the Sentimental Journey features Betty Grable, the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. The aircraft is named after a song made popular by Doris Day in 1945.
Airplane enthusiasts, veterans, children and history buffs will love seeing this famous WWII aircraft. Sentimental Journey is maintained and operated as a flying museum and veterans’ memorial by the all-volunteer non-profit U.S.-based Commemorative Air Force. Built during 1943, this heavy bomber has been continuously flown, performing missions from military reconnaissance to drone “mother ship” during nuclear testing, as well as firefighting, before being retired. It was donated to the Arizona Wing in 1978, restored to full military specification, and has been touring North America since the early 1980s.
A thrilling flight inside this historic warbird starts at $425.00 per person. For flight reservations, the public can call 587-338-8817 or email b17rc@azcaf.org. Cockpit tours are only $5; ground viewing and photo opportunities are free to the visiting public from 9am – 5pm each day.
The Sentimental Journey is operated by the Arizona Airbase of the Commemorative Air Force located at Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona. Organized in 1978, the CAF’s mission is to restore and preserve historically important aircraft and related memorabilia in order to educate the public about the significant contributions made by men and women in the defense of our nation.
