Airpower History Tour Features WWII Aircraft for Displays and Flights – The Madison Record

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MERIDIANVILLE – Airpower History Tour brought iconic WWII aircraft for tours and rides in northern Alabama.

The aircraft was staged at the Executive Flight Center FBO ramp located at Huntsville Executive Airport, 360 Clyde Shelton Drive, Meridianville.

The sights, sounds and stories of WWII aviation are brought to life with the B-29 Superfortress, nicknamed “FIFI”, and the B-24 Liberator, nicknamed “DIAMOND LIL”. A T-6 Texan, PT-13 Stearman and P-51 Mustang or “Gunfighter” are also on display.

The Air Force Commemorative presents the event and hosts its historic AirPower Tour at airports across North America each year. Visitors can get a close-up view of all the planes, buy rides, and tour the cockpits of B-29s and B-24s when the planes aren’t flying.

Planes began arriving on April 25. The P-51 will arrive April 29 at noon. Tours and flights will continue until May 1.

The tour is open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Support planes will provide rides for the five days. The P-51 will offer trips starting at 1 p.m. on April 29. The B-29 will fly April 30 and May 1 at 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The B-24 will fly April 30 and May 1 at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

B-29 and B-24 cockpit tours will be available daily beginning at 9 a.m., except April 30 and May 1, when tours open at noon.

To access the ramp, adults will pay $20; 11 to 17, $10; and 10 and under, free. To book rides in advance, visit AirPowerTour.org.

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress, the largest and most technically advanced aircraft of its time, first flew in 1942. The aircraft is best known for its missions over Japan which helped put end to World War II.

In 1971, the Commemorative Air Force acquired “FIFI”, one of only two B-29s still in flight. In 1974, FIFI began touring with CAF and has been entertaining audiences ever since.

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator, or “DIAMOND LIL”, was America’s most produced combat aircraft during World War II with more than 18,400 aircraft. Diamond Lil is one of only two B-24s still flying.

With its speed, range and clean lines, the P-51 Mustang became a favorite of Allied fighter pilots and bomber crews. The North American T-6 Texan, or “Pilotmaker”, was an advanced flight trainer that introduced new pilots to complex aircraft with top speed over 200 miles per hour. The Boeing PT-13, an iconic biplane known as the “Stearman”, trained more crews than any other aircraft during World War II.

For more information, visit commemorativeairforce.org.

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