I have been going to Air Shows for Years!

However… I have always watched them from afar. This time was different.

We fought the crowds on the roads,  the crowds in the parking lot,  the crowds on the shuttle bus and  the crowds at the actual show.

Plus it was hot.

BUT IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!

Because I got to see this.

Sentimental Journey  is the nickname of a B-17G Flying Fortress bomber.

This B-17 was named Sentimental Journey after the Doris Day song Sentimental Journey.

In the above picture you are able to see the Top Gunner Turret.  Also to be seen are the windows where the pilot and co-pilot sat, and the plexiglass nose where the  Bombardier and the Navigator sat.

 

 

 

In the next picture I am looking up and  climbing a ladder  into the plane.

 

 

 

 

Not only does this B-17 have many stories but so many other B-17’s do as well.

There were 10 Crew Members on a B-17.   Approximate ages 18-25.

These planes were unheated and open to the outside. Parachutes were too big to be worn so instead crewman did wear a sort of harness that would allow the crewman to clip on their parachute.  Prior to 1944 a crewman was set to fly 25 missions. It is said the average crewman had only a 1 in 4 chance of completing his tour.

They were bombing and yet were being shot at.

While I was in the plane… I got a bit choked up. I was completely overwhelmed by how these men and the other servicemen fought for OUR FREEDOM!

Source; http://hamiltoncountyveterans.com/html/meeting_minutes.html

Later I found out that sweet, sweet man’s Dad flew a B-17.

My Uncles were in WWII and survived to tell stories. (not many stories were told as they were full of pride and yet did not want to be reminded of it.) My one uncle survived D-Day.

So an Air Show can be more then  fast jets.

An Air Show can give us the history that we all need to be reminded of and thankful for.

An excellent article  is Life and Death Aboard a B-17.

I hope you are able to read the article.

THANK YOU TO ALL VETERANS!

Until Next Time  ~Nancy