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Public invited to fly WWII era bomber in Temecula
B-17 Flying Fortress
(
Experimental Aircraft Association
)
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Public invited to fly WWII era bomber in Temecula
Public invited to fly WWII era bomber in Temecula
A restored World War Two-era bomber is coming to an airport near Temecula – and you can be a passenger.
It’ll cost $399 a ticket to head into the wild blue yonder for half an hour aboard the retired B-17 “Flying Fortress”. But it’ll set you back just $5 to walk through the mammoth World War II bomber when it rests on the tarmac of the French Valley Airport near Temecula.
The U.S. Army Air Corps used the “Flying Fortress” as a workhorse before and during World War II. But the B-17 on display this week never saw combat. It launched in 1945, after the military replaced the B-17 with the B-24 bomber.
The B-24 “Liberator” could fly faster and drop more bombs, but pilots said it was also harder to fly. That’s one of the reasons the old B-17’s are still sentimental favorites with flying enthusiasts.
Sponsored message
The B-17 is in French Valley as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s "Salute to Veterans" tour. The “Flying Fortress” will remain in French Valley through Wednesday. Details are available online at www.B17.org. The bomber will make several other Southland stops over the next two weeks before it moves on to other cities across the country.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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