A week of great events at Salem Airport as B-17 Alliance Museum and Restoration prepared to receive Lacey Lady, a WWII B-17G to flight, and Creekside Rotary was there for the ride of a lifetime.
There were activities for all:
Tuesday – Friday 9:00 – 4:00 pm Ground and Museum Tours;
Wednesday Multi-Cultural Military History Appreciation Day;
Thursday – VETERAN APPRECIATION DAY;
Friday – Sunday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm B-17 and B-25 flights available
Friday evening – meet the pilots for Happy Hour.
Creekside Rotarians: Tom Edmiston, Bob Pool and Mark Hodgins were busy preparing the BBQ for guests. That warm sunny day turned out to be Tom’s lucky day, there was one seat left, "would anyone like a ride". Tom jumped at the opportunity to take the 40-minute ride in the B-25. The pilots were volunteers for the Commemorative Air Force based in Mesa Arizona. One was female pilot (Kimberly) who normally flies for Delta Airlines and the other a male who flies for American Airlines. They are both 737 pilots and volunteer their time in the summers to fly historic war birds to various events throughout the country. This particular B-25 had nose art "Made in the Shade".
The flight itself was very loud - it is a combat aircraft - and there is no insulation from the engines. But it was the experience of a lifetime to fly out over the farmlands around Salem and buzz a few wineries.
Perfect landing by Kimberly who was doing the piloting on my particular run.
Perfect landing by Kimberly who was doing the piloting on my particular run. You too can soar with us, Salem Creekside Rotary. People of action.