GIMLI, MAN. — A piece of history flew over rural Manitoba Wednesday.
One of the last remaining B-17 Flying Fortress bombers will be on display at the Gimli airport from Thursday to Sunday. History buffs will have the opportunity to tour the World War II plane and even take a ride around the area.
The bomber – also known at Aluminum Overcast – is owned by the U.S.- based Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), and it’s in town as part of a North American tour.
WATCH: GoPro footage of the bomber as it flies over rural Manitoba
The B-17 bomber, known as the Flying Fortress, was first introduced in 1938 and targeted German industrial and military targets towards the end of the war. The average age of a soldier who flew the plane was around 19-years-old.
“Think about being an 18-year-old kid and it’s your first time away from home, said Ken Morris, one of the plane’s pilots.
“You’re scared to death, you’re 30,000 feet in the air, there is no heat and no oxygen. And in top of that people are shooting at you.”
The bomber weighs 34,000 lbs. and is equipped with 3 .50-calibre machine guns. There were 12,731 built, but today there are about a dozen B-17’s still flying.
“It’s amazing how much history is in these planes, and doing this is a way to keep it alive,” said one of the plane’s pilot, Lorraine Morris. “There is so much going on when you’re flying it, it’s really bumpy, and we’re not even getting shot at.”
A veteran remembers
World War II veteran, Richard Sellen was at the debut Wednesday, and took a ride on the vintage plane. Sellen, who was born in Oakbank, Man., in 1920, flew a Lancaster bomber during the war. He was in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in 426 Squadron, and his rank at the end of the war was flying officer. He reminisced about flying in the bomber Wednesday afternoon, which said it took him back to his flying years.
“It’s nice to fly and see the scenery.” Sellen said. “But I don’t have to look for a target, and I don’t have to look for other airplanes and avoid fighters.”
WATCH: World War II veteran, Richard Sellen talks about flying a Lancaster bomber
Open to the public
Tours run Thursday to Sunday at Gimli Industrial Park Airport from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ground tours of the plane start at $10 for individuals and $20 for families. A flight on board the restored bomber costs $610.
Revenues from this flying opportunity will help cover maintenance and operations costs for the aircraft.