If you missed it back in 2017, you’ll have another chance this summer to tour a World War II heavy bomber at the Peterborough Airport — and you can even fly in it.
Not only will the B-17G Flying Fortress heavy bomber “Sentimental Journey” be returning to the airport, but this year it will be joined by the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber “Maid in the Shade” as part of the Flying Legions of Victory Tour from July 30 to August 4.
Sentimental Journey is one of fewer than 10 B-17s around the world still flying today. The first B-17s went into combat in 1941 by the British Royal Air Force. They served in almost every theatre of World War II and dropped over 640,000 tons of bombs. The B-17G was produced in greater numbers than any other B-17 model, with a total of 12,731 aircraft produced by Boeing, Vega, and Douglas.
Named in honour of Brigadier General William “Billy” Mitchell, a pioneer of U.S. military aviation, the B-25 was introduced by North American Aviation in 1941 and used mainly as a low-altitude strafe and skip bomber. Produced in numerous variants, nearly 10,000 B-25s were built, which were used by many Allied air forces every theatre of World War II and, after the war ended, many remained in service for decades. Maid in the Shade is one of only 34 B-25s still flying today.
The two airplanes come from the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, which runs the Flying Legends of Victory Tour in cities across the U.S. and Canada from April to October.
Ground tours of both aircraft will be available at the Peterborough Airport between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Tuesday, July 30th to Thursday, August 1st and between 2 and 6 p.m. from Friday, August 2nd to Sunday, August 4th. Tours cost $15 per person or $30 for a family of four, and can be purchased at the airport (no reservations required).
If you can afford it, you can also book a ride in either aircraft between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. from Friday to Sunday, with a total of 18 flights available.
There are eight seats on Sentimental Journey, at a cost of $475 USD for one of six waist compartment seats and $850 USD for either of the two bombardier/navigator seats. There are seven seats on Maid in the Shade, at a cost of $375 USD for one of the four radio compartment seats and $590 USD for one of the three jump seats.
To book a flight on either aircraft when they are at the Peterborough Airport, visit www.azcaf.org/location/peterborough-on-tour-stop/.
