The Flying Legends of Victory Tour, made possible by the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, will be making a stop at North Bay's Jack Garland Airport from Monday, July 3, through Sunday, July 9 as part of its summer tour across the U.S. and Canada.
The North Bay tour stop will feature the B-17 Bomber “Sentimental Journey”, one of only 10 B-17s in the world still flying.
The plane is one of the most iconic airplanes from World War II. The British also flew the B-17 during the war in Europe. Canadians flew as crew and pilots on the B-17 as well.
"You will have the opportunity to climb aboard the B-17 Bomber to soak in the breathtaking stories of courage and service by Americans during one of the most important periods in U.S. history," says a tour news release. "The B-17 is an exceptionally rare aircraft, as it’s one of 10 in the world that is still flying. Nicknamed the “Flying Fortress,” the B-17 was a strategic weapon in WWII because of its ability to suffer extensive battle damage and still return home."
Dates and times:
- Tours: Monday, Friday – Saturday: 2 pm – 6 pm; Tuesday – Thursday: 9 am – 2 pm;
- Rides: Friday – Sunday: 10 am – 1 pm.
The tour cost is $14 per person and $28 for a family of four.
Seats are $425 USD per waist compartment seat and $850 USD for bombardier/navigator seats in the nose and are limited to eight passengers per flight.
Ride reservations are required. To reserve your seat, visit http://bit.ly/NorthBayON.
The tour, made possible by the volunteers of the non-profit Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, includes three restored WWII combat aircraft: C-47/DC-3 Combat Legend “Old Number 30;” B-17 Bomber “Sentimental Journey;” and B-25 Bomber “Maid in the Shade.”
These warbirds and their crew will visit approximately 50 cities from June through October 2017 to fulfill their mission of educating all generations about the role of aviation in combat.
For more information about the Flying Legends of Victory Tour, visit www.flyinglegendstour.com.
A complete Flying Legends of Victory tour schedule is available at www.FlyingLegendsTour.com.
Built in 1944, the B-17 “Sentimental Journey” is only one of 10 B-17s in the world that is still flying out of almost 13,000 produced from 1936 to 1945 as 8,000 of them were lost in combat.
The aircraft, developed by Boeing, was used in every theatre of war from 1941 to 1945.
The “Sentimental Journey” was originally manufactured and delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces for war service in 1944 where she flew missions in the Pacific Theatre. After the war she flew for training, testing and at-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, maintained in tip-top condition, and is operated by all-volunteer crews from the membership of the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum.
