Rides on Historic B-17 Available Tuesday and Wednesday

A piece of flying history is available for area residents at the Lyddon Aerocenter Tuesday and Wednesday. The Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" will be soaring over Liberal the next two days. You can call the Lyddon Aerocenter to reserve and schedule your flight today or tomorrow at 624-1646.

B-17 pilot Dan Bowlin says it will be a flight to remember. "The B-17 is probably the most historically significant airplane in history," Bowlin said Monday afternoon. "It’s the reason we have our freedoms today. The B-17 and B-24 crushed Nazi Germany by defeating their will to make war basically. It represents everything that’s good about America because every family had someone associated with B-17’s. They either flew or maintained them, built them, or worked on them."

The B-17 in Liberal Tuesday and Wednesday was built in 1945.

Monday members of the local media including KSCB’s Joe Denoyer and Brock Kappelmann took a ride in the historic aircraft over Liberal. Two World War 2 veterans also took part in the ride.