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Iconic World War II aircraft land in Romeoville
Todd Erskine of Commemorative Air Force talks about FiFi, the B-29 Superfortress vintage military plane that you can tour and fly this week in Romeoville
ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - A piece of World War II history has landed in the Chicago area.
A WWII-era B-29 Superfortress is among a number of vintage military planes that you can tour and possibly even fly this week.
FOX 32 News got a preview Monday at Lewis University Airport in Romeoville.
We watched as crewmembers gently polished FiFi, a B-29 Superfortess built in 1945, treating her like a rare gem. Because she is.
Boeing cranked out 4000 B-29‘s starting in 1944 that were used to bomb targets in the South Pacific and Japan. A B-29 dropped the two atomic bombs that ended the war.
Currently, FiFi is one of just 25 remaining Superfortresses, and one of only two that still fly.
"All the controls are still original to the era," said crew member Todd Erskine. "There’s no power assist on any of these things. It’s all actually driven by muscle and cables."
Erskine is a member of the Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit aviation history group that is bringing several vintage military plane to Lewis University Airport in Romeoville this week.
Starting Wednesday, people can tour the planes for a small fee and this weekend you’ll even be able to go for a ride on some of the historic aircraft, including FiFi.
"It’s a completely different experience than going to a museum and seeing a plane on static display," said Erskine. "You see things. You hear things. You feel things. It’s like a living example."
And if the view from inside the B-29 looks familiar, that’s because you probably saw it in Star Wars, where George Lucas drew inspiration for the Millennium Falcon.
The vintage planes travel with volunteer crews, including 19-year-old Cristian Vaughan, who wants to be a pilot.
"This is an amazing way to start," said Vaughan. "Because not many 19-year-olds can say they’ve been a part of the B 29 crew."
And occasionally the members of the Commemorative Air Force will meet a World War II vet, now well into their 90s, who actually flew the B-29.
"Those moments when we need a World War II vet and get to hear about their experiences, those are precious moments for us. We live for that," Erskine said.
"FiFi" will be at the Lewis University airport, along with a B-24 and a number of other historic military planes, through Sunday.