Last Sunday I took a drive up to the Salem airport to view the “Sentimental Journey” — a B-17 Flying Fortress that flew in as part of the Flying Legends Tour.
The Boeing B-17 is an American-made bomber used extensively in World War II. The B-17 Alliance located in Salem hosted the event to provide the public with an opportunity to see World War II vintage aircraft. The B-17 Flying Fortress flew countless combat bombing missions during the war.
The B-17 Alliance is a group of volunteer history buffs that have been working for years to preserve and restore a B-17 in a hangar located there.
The B-17 Flying Fortress has its roots in the Pacific Northwest. Design and production occurred in Seattle starting back in 1935. There were over 12,000 of them built. There are now only three known operational B-17s remaining. The Sentimental Journey is one of the three…