The Flying Fortress

To aviation enthusiasts around the world, some of the WWI and WWII planes are the jewel of the crown when it comes to modern warfare. They were the forefathers in air defence and you can't mistake their distinctive sound, gleaming metal and intriguing nose cone art that made them what they are.

This weekend in Oklahoma, such beauty of the skies is visiting the Wiley Post Airport. The B-17 bomber known as “The Flying Fortress” was produced by Boeing in Seattle, Washington. During the years 1935-1945 some 12,000 were produced, with 4,735 being lost during combat.

This morning whilst shooting with the Territorial Marshals, we were just about to start stage 5 in the Saloon when I heard the sound of her go overhead and I ran out to see where she was. I yelled to Jack and we watched her almost hanging in mid air like a model as she cruised across the skies.

After we had unpacked and got changed, we headed for Wiley Post to see the 'Madras Maiden' in all her glory. She was produced in 1944 but didn't make it to combat with the 381st Bomber Group in England. She was bought and sold at various times and eventually purchased by the Erickson Collection in 2013 in Madras, Oregon.

From the Liberty Foundation website – '….restored to her combat configuration and painted in the colors of the 381st Bomb Group,mane sporting the Madras Maiden nose art, N3701G flies today to honor our veterans, educate current and future generations as to the high price of freedom and to preserve our aviation heritage.'

She is flown today by pilot, Connie Bowlin who not only flies this beauty but has also flown the famed Memphis Belle on many tours.

We have heard that the original Memphis Belle is soon to be installed in the National Museum of The United States Air Force in Ohio that Jack and I had visited back in 2016.

As we waited in line with anyone from 4 year olds to a B-29 veteran, we boarded the B-17 for a look and wondered at their cramped conditions in the bomber. An engineering and flight marvel that we were so pleased to see.