By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
What began as a hobby turned into a mission to preserve history. The United States produced nearly 300,000 aircraft leading up to and during World War II. Fifteen years after the war ended, few of the planes remained in flying condition. The Commemorative Air Force will bring its B-17 and B-25 to Great Bend Airfest on Sept. 20-22.
"We're one of 80 units that are across the U.S.," said Phoenix-based Mike Garrett, tour director for the group. "The Commemorative Air Force was founded in the late 1950s by a group of pilots who realized all our of WWII aircraft were underappreciated and were being scrapped, and that memory was being lost. The Commemorative Air Force decided to try and preserve those aircraft and we've been doing that ever since then."
The group has now restored more than 170 WWII planes. Great Bend Airfest will feature "Sentimental Journey," a B-17 that was turned into a water bomber to fight fires in California after the war. The B-25, "Maid in the Shade," was restored to its original 1940s military configuration after flying 15 combat missions.
"We bring our flying museum, as we call it, around the country and honor those who flew these airplanes and try to educate people about WWII because that's kind of forgotten now," Garrett said.
Planes were auctioned off after the war. Those that were not purchased were scrapped. "Sentimental Journey" was purchased, all her guns were removed, and she was lightened to carry water and flame retardant. She was acquired by the Commemorative Air Force in 1979, restored to military configuration, and has been flying ever since.
"Made in the Shade" was accepted by the U.S. Air Force in 1944, and was stationed in Corsica near Italy. She flew 15 combat missions over Italy and Yugoslavia in November and December of 1944, conducting low-altitude bombings of rail yards and railroad bridges. After the war, "Made in the Shade" was purchased by an insecticide company and used to kill fire ants in Alabama and Mississippi. Commemorative Air Force purchased the plane in 1981 and had her fully restored in 2009. The restoration work was done indoors, thus the name, "Made in the Shade."
Residents may have a chance to see the B-17 and B-25 in the sky at the same time for a planned flyover during the Great Bend High School football game against Buhler on Friday, Sept. 20. Flights are also available in both planes, starting at $375 for the B-25 and $475 for the B-17. On-ground tours will also be available at Airfest for just $5.
CLICK HERE to schedule a flight on one of the aircraft, or CLICK HERE to purchase tickets to this year's Great Bend Airfest.