The B-17 used in the movie "The Memphis Belle" came to Roanoke Airport on Labor Day, and we were given a chance to fly in her along with several veterans who actually flew B-17s in World War II. Of course, it made a nice story ...
Though hot, it was a beautiful day on the airfield, with a stunning sky of perfect clouds for photography.
Before the flight, the veterans gathered in the shade under the wings, where we had a chance to interview them.
Jeff Baker was a waist gunner, handling a .50 caliber Browning like the one behind him, for 28 missions.
Leo LaCasse, a pilot, made a career of the Air Force, despite injuries from frostbite at high altitude. Now 94, a retired Brigadier General, he has since lost full use of his legs.
The civilian, volunteer co-pilot looks for traffic as we cruise over Roanoke.
During the flight, one vet demonstrated how he used the Morse key on the plane's radio.
A dummy 500 lb. bomb in the bomb bay reminds us what the Memphis Belle's main mission was 70 years ago. To the right of the bomb, a narrow catwalk to get from the main part of the fuselage to the cockpit.
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