Warbirds at Marion Airport

This happened back in July, and for whatever reason I neglected to blog it at the time, but I'm getting around to it now!  The WWII Warbirds came to Marion Regional Airport, including 'FiFi', the Commemorative Air Force’s famous Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber - the only remaining flying example of the aircraft in the world.  Accompanying FIFI will was B-24 Liberator 'Diamond Lil', and a P-51 Mustang. Other historic airplanes accompanying the B-29 included the only flying Curtiss SB2C Helldiver and a B-25 Mitchell Bomber 'Show Me'.  Other attending aircraft included a C-45 Expeditor, DC-3, T-6 Texan and PT-13 Stearman.

These special aircraft were at Carbondale airport then moved on to Marion.  There were a few static displays, but mot of the plains were continuously coming and going- you could purchase rides in these historic aircraft.  Former SIU aviation student David Oliver was at the controls when the B-29 landed at Carbondale.  Oliver is the youngest B-29 aircraft commander in the history of the CAF, is also the B-29/B-24 Squadron operations officer and a B-29 instructor pilot.

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress, first flown in 1942, began active service in 1944 and is perhaps best known as the aircraft whose missions over Japan helped bring about the end of World War II.  The B-29 Superfortress was designed as a replacement for the older B-17s and B-24s, with longer range and greater bomb loads. The B-29 was also used in the Korean War in the early 1950s and was a staple of the U.S. Air Force until the late 1950s.


If you like planes or world war history, this is an amazing event to attend.  There were many veterans walking around, and most of the people who went up in the planes were veterans of these wars.  The lines were a little long, but it's a small airport and only so many planes could fit in, and of course everyone wanted to see them.

It was a great way to spend the afternoon, and you just don't get to see planes like this.  The most amazing thing was seeing the P-51.  It flew over numerous times and despite the hefty price tag never stayed in the lot long before someone paid for a ride.  You'll never hear a rumble like that anywhere else.  :)