CULLMAN – Members of the local press and special guests on Thursday were treated to rides on the B-17 Flying Fortress, Aluminum Overcast at Cullman Regional Airport.
As described by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the organization that owns and operates the plane, along with many others: "More than just an airplane, the B-17 is living history that holds a remarkable connection to the past and is the most iconic image of World War II. Today, it serves as a tribute to those known as the greatest generation: the bold men and women who built and served on the heavy bombers in the 1940s."
The Aluminum Overcast is in town as part of Cullman's Veterans Day Celebration, which will take place on Saturday at both the airport and Sportsman Lake Park.
Thursday's special guests included Linda Morgan, the widow of the famous Memphis Belle pilot Col. Robert (Bob) Morgan, and Cullman resident Julian Campbell, 96, a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Campbell, who piloted 40 B-26 bomber missions during WWII, was accompanied by his bride of 68 years, Marie Campbell, who, while the couple waited for Thursday's flight, happily recounted the story of how the two met back in 1944.
The Aluminum Overcast will be in town until Sunday, and will be joined by a North American P-51 Mustang on Friday. Seats are still available for purchase on both planes.
Rides in the B-17 will take place Friday-Sunday, Nov. 4-6. Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.eaa.org/en/eaa-shop/flight-experience/b17. A B-17 flight will set you back $449.
The North American P-51 Mustang is flown by the Commemorative Air Force Dixie Wing, based in Peachtree City, Georgia. The rides, also available Nov. 4-6, are $1,595 per ticket and may be purchased online at http://www.dixiewing.org/rides.htm.
Rides for both may also be purchased onsite at the airport.
See a full photo gallery of Thursday's event here: https://www.facebook.com/CullmanSense/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1199044143490612
Read about the upcoming Cullman Veterans Day Celebration here: http://www.cullmansense.com/articles/2016/11/03/nov-5-veterans-day-program-be-historically-rich-high-flying-affair
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