WWII Flying Fortress comes to Inland Northwest
Crawl under the cockpit and into the plexiglass nose of the “Madras Maiden” this weekend, where World War II-era bombardiers plotted bombing runs and manned .50-caliber machine guns in the chin turret. (JUDD WILSON/Press)
Photos by JUDD WILSON/Press The Liberty Foundation’s “Madras Maiden” is one of only 10 B-17s left flying nationwide, said chief mechanic John Eads.
The B-17 is a heavy aircraft that takes a lot of muscle to fly, said pilot Dave Morss. He praised the strength and courage of the pilots who flew 10-hour missions over enemy territory in World War II. Pictured: Pilots Bill Clark and Morss.
During their World War II daylight bombing missions, B-17s like the “Madras Maiden” had to contend with enemy fighters and ground-based anti-aircraft fire. (JUDD WILSON/Press)
Sandpoint native and WWII-era 101st Airborne Division veteran Joe Delay said his flight on the “Madras Maiden” Monday was “very enjoyable.” (JUDD WILSON/Press)
SPOKANE — Locals have a chance to fly over the Inland Northwest World War II-style this weekend in the Liberty Foundation’s B-17 Flying Fortress “Madras Maiden.”
Chief mechanic John Eads said only about 10 of the WWII aircraft still take to the skies. The “Madras Maiden” was built Oct. 17, 1944, in Burbank, Calif., and was designated a training aircraft. After years of use by the military, USDA, and civilian companies, it became part of the Liberty Foundation’s educational mission.
The B-17 was the most complex aircraft of its time when designed in 1935, Eads said, and 12,731 were produced for the U.S. Army Air Corps and allies during the war. The ruggedly built bomber became renowned for its 13 .50-caliber machine guns and multiple turrets in addition to its normal 8,000-pound bomb payload. Missions typically lasted more than eight hours and struck targets deep within German lines in Europe, with some flying missions in the Pacific theater as well.
The “Madras Maiden” is in the area to educate younger generations on WWII and to give older generations a chance to connect with their own history, said Eads. Sandpoint High School graduate and Spokane attorney Joe Delay said he thought the educational effort was a “very nice gesture.” Delay was a glider infantryman in the 327th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, who fought as a replacement in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Delay said he doesn’t consider himself a hero, but rather that “the real heroes are the guys buried under those white crosses.”
Pilot Dave Morss of Emerald Hills, Calif., is one of 20 volunteer pilots who fly the “Madras Maiden” nationwide. The former United Airlines pilot has flown U.S., Soviet, Japanese, and British WWII-era aircraft. He said the B-17 flights give people a glimpse of what soldiers and airmen went through during the war.
“It’s unimaginable, but you come closer to imagining it when you ride in this,” he said.
Fuel to fly the aircraft for one weekend costs $15,000, said Eads. Director of flight operations Scott Maher explained that the Liberty Foundation spends more than $1.5 million annually to keep the B-17 airworthy and out on tour.
Everyone is invited to tour and fly in the “Madras Maiden” at Western Aviation, located at Felts Field in Spokane, this Saturday and Sunday starting around 10 a.m., said Eads. People who show up early can come through, especially veterans, he added.
He said flights usually conclude around 2 or 3 p.m., with ground tours continuing until 5 p.m. Each flight takes 45 minutes with approximately 30 minutes in flight, at a cost of $410 to Liberty Foundation members and $450 for non-members, Maher said.
For more information contact the Liberty Foundation at 918-340-0243 or go to libertyfoundation.org.