The sights, sounds, and stories of World War II aviation are in Hammond (LA), this week as the local airpost comes ALIVE with planes from WWII!
Oepn to the public, you can take your kids (and parents!) to see some amazing aircraft, and history that you can TOUCH!!
The event is presented by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), AirPower History Tour in partnership with the CAF Big Easy Wing based out of New Orleans, through the weekend.
You can actually view all of the aircraft (including the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, FIFI, the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, DIAMOND LIL, a P-51 Mustang, a T-6 Texan, and a PT-13 Stearman), up close, purchase rides in the aircraft (warning the rides are EXPENSIVE, so you might want to consider them very pricey birthday presents), and tour the B-29 and B-24 planes and cockpits (when the aircraft are not flying).
It is SO coll to be up close and personal with these planes! And just think, your grandparents/great grandparents might have even been IN one of them!
Why is that so cool?
Just look at that picture!
Can you even imagine flying through enemy gunfire sitting in the FRONT of that glass bubble?
It truly makes history come ALIVE!
And they have gerat presentations and volunteers, who can answer just about any question you can ask (though I don't think they were prepared for a 12 year old who knew everything about how the Enola Gay was changed!
Miss Grace coulldn't believe how small everything was INSIDE of the BIG planes!
It's hard to imagine just how SMALL the crew had to be, once they added flight suits and parachutes on, in order to get from one part of the plane t the gunner positions!
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Can you imagine crawing through that TUBE up there on the top of that picture? 40 feet of crawl space! Talk about not being claustrophic. And you wonder why they were called the 'Greatest Generation"? Spend an afternoon in these planes with NO AC in 94 degree heat and you'll have a very good idea (no heat when its 32 degrees either!)!
And just look at just one of the 2 consoles! That's 1940s analog computing there!
I DO have to give 2 warnings about the tours of the SuperFortress and the Liberator:
1. They are TALL. you don't realize how much until you have to climb very SMALL ladders up into the interiors! The volunteers are great and help you, but on the Liberator, the ladder is literally the inside of the door, and that can be a bit disconcerting! Crawling IN and OUT of the SuperFortress requires following strict instructions to avoi itting your head, or taking a fall. So if you're wobbly about heights, you might want to look from below! Wear tennis shoes or solid sandals, NO flip flops!
2. It is HOT.!!! Like highway to hell hot, out on the tarmac with this 90 degree plus heat. Do like we did and go EARLY in the am, otherwise, you may be looking at 110 degrees inside the planes in the afternoon! And STAY HYDRATED. Both air divsions are selling water. BUY it! The last thing you want is to pass out on hot tarmac!
This is an AMAZING experience, to really help bring WWII alive in a hands on way for your kids. Seeing it in a museum is one thing. But seeing the planes MOVING right in front of you and realizing just what it takes to fly, and ride, in one, requires this type of tour!
ABOUT THE CAF B-29 SUPERFORTRESS FIFI:
The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) acquired FIFIin 1971 when a member found her at the U.S. Navy Proving Ground at China Lake, California. The airplane was rescued and restored by a group of CAF volunteers and has been flying for more than 45 years. Since 1974, FIFI has been traveling coast-to-coast each year honoring the men and women who built, maintained and flew WWII aircraft, and educating the next generation on their service and our history, attracting large crowds at every tour stop. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was first flown in 1942.
It began active service in the US Army Air Corp in 1944, and is best known as the aircraft whose missions over Japan helped bring an end to World War II. The B-29 also was used in the Korean War in the early 1950s and was a staple of the U.S. Air Force until 1960. Learn more about FIFI and her tour schedule at www.airpowertour.org
ABOUT THE CAF B-24 LIBERATOR DIAMOND LIL
Today, DIAMOND LIL is one of only two airworthy B-24s bombers in existence and is one of the featured aircraft in the CAF AirPower History Tour. The CAF has been bringing LIL to airports throughout the United States since 1968. In the fall of 2018, LIL returned to the skies after a three-year restoration.
The Consolidated B‐24 Liberator, first flown in 1939, began active service in 1941 and was the most produced American aircraft of World War II, with 18,482 built. The Liberator was used in every theater of the war and for a variety of missions from long-range bombing and submarine patrol, to transporting high priority cargo and VIPs. Learn more about DIAMOND LIL and her tour schedule at www.airpowertour.org
WHERE:
The aircraft will be staged at Main Terminal, Hammond Northshore Regional Airport, 600 North Airport Road, Hammond, LA 70401.
The Airpower History tour has stop sin Texas and Arkansas ahead, with new stops scheduling nnow for 2020, so be sure to check out where they will be near you!
WHEN:
October 2 – 6: The event will be open to the public Wednesday through Sunday.
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Supporting aircraft will be offering rides all five days.
Cockpit tours of the B-29 and B-24 will be available beginning at 9:00 a.m.,
except on Saturday and Sunday when they will begin at noon.
The B-29 flies on Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
The B-24 flies on Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
The cost of rides vary depending on aircraft type, but start at over $200.
where additional information about the event may also be found.
EVENT INFORMATION:
Access to the ramp is $15 for adults and $8 for youth age 10 through 17.
Children under age 9 are admitted free.
I know it seems pricey, but remember, this might just be a once in a lifetime chance. PLUS the odds are that you'll meet quite a few retired servicemen, both as volunteers, and as visitors. You really can't but a price on the experience! And remember, that ths costs helps to cover the gas to get the planes there, to cover airport tarmac rental, and the keep the planes outfitted and in running shape! Keeping history alive doesn't come for free! These volunteers do an AMAZING job, and my hat is off to their service! If you are interesting in working with one of the groups, check out their websites for more info!
ABOUT THE COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE
Through more than six decades of collecting and flying World War II aircraft, the CAF has become the world’s largest flying museum. Their fleet of over 170 World War II airplanes are assigned to unit locations across the U.S. and are supported by 12,000 volunteer members. Nearly all the aircraft are kept in flying condition, enabling people to experience firsthand the sight and sound of vintage military aircraft in flight. The CAF is dedicated to honoring American military aviation through flight, exhibition, education, and remembrance.
To learn more about the Commemorative Air Force, please visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.
The Big Easy Wing is a newly formed organization (founded in 2017), by the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). Designed to acquire, restore and preserve WWII Warbirds to flying conditions as well as educate our community through stories told through flight, events and artifacts.
To learn more about the CAF Big Easy Wing, please visit bigeasywing.org\
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