A Sentimental Journey

The  "Sentimental Journey," a WWII B-17G Flying Fortress, arrived for its fifth visit to Wisconsin Aviation-Madison on August 2, 2010.  Its first visit was during the period of September 4-11, 2001.  That was also the date of our first Hangar Dance, but more memorable, the fateful date of the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in New York City.  Since then, it has been our desire to always request the B-17 as the significant prop for our annual WWII Hangar Dance.  This year, due to scheduling, the aircraft arrived two days after our 9th Hangar Dance.  Nonetheless, its arrival was greeted by members of the "Ladies Must Swing" dance orchestra, playing "Sentimental Journey" as it taxied up to the Madison's east-ramp hangar.

The "Sentimental Journey" rolled off the assembly line at Douglas Aircraft in late 1944 and served in the Pacific, but did not see military action.  After the war it was transferred to Eglin Field, Florida, to serve as an air-sea rescue aircraft.  Later, in 1959, it went to military storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.  It was then sold to a California corporation for service as a borate bomber, flying thousands of sorties as a forest fire suppression fighter throughout the United States.  In January 1978, with the formation of the Arizona Wing of the Confederate Air Force (CAF), it was announced that B-17G #N9323Z had been donated to that organization.  It was subsequently disassembled and meticulously restored to its original WWII configuration.  In the process it needed a new top gun turret.  After months of searching, one was located on the top of a bar in Oregon.  The owner of the bar was contacted, and an offer was made to replace the top turret with a replica, identical to the one adorning the bar, in an exchange for the real one.  The deal was consummated, and that turret now garnishes the famed bomber.

The "Sentimental Journey" can be seen on static display from late fall to early spring each year at the CAF's (Commemorative Air Force-the word "Confederate” was changed to "Commemorative" in 2002) Arizona Wing Museum in Mesa, Arizona.