FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 1, 2009, Mesa, Arizona

Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force at Yakima, WA. B-17 Flying Fortress SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY will be on display at the Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field Airport,
August 3-6.

WHAT:  The most fully restored B-17 Flying Fortress SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY a World War II vintage bomber airplane will fly into Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field Airport, offering the public an up-close and personal look at this unique piece of aviation history. The public is invited to tour this airplane–inside and out. There’s even the opportunity for some lucky individuals to actually take a flight in SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY and experience this rare aircraft first-hand. Flight opportunities on SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY is $425 - per person tax-deductible. A flight on SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY is $425 - per person tax-deductible. The flight experience will average 45 minutes and include boarding, engine start, taxi, takeoff and landing and shutdown. For more information and to make reservations call 602-448-9415. Only a handful of these rare birds remain in the world today and most of them are on static display in museums. 

B-17 Sentimental Journey Tours

$5.00 for ages 13 to Adult

$3.00 for children ages 5 through 12 and free for children under 5

B-17 Flights are available for $425.00

WHERE:  The aircraft will be on display at Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field Airport.  

WHEN SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY will arrive at Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field Airport at 12:00 noon Monday, August 3, and will be on display until the aircraft departs Friday morning August 7. 
Display dates and times at Yakima Air Terminal/McAllister Field Airport
August 3 – 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
August 4 – 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
August 5 – 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
August 6 – 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

WHO:  SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY has been restored as a flying museum/memorial by the Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing so the public can tour this one of a kind aircraft. All tour proceeds benefit SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY. Members of the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force are volunteers and the Commemorative Air Force is a non-profit organization.

WHY: SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY is a museum and flying memorial to the men who flew and crewed these airplanes, as well as the men and women who built and delivered them more than 50 years ago and to the crews that did not return. The B-17 Flying Fortress was famous for daylight bombing raids over Germany during World War II and could sustain such significant battle damage that the aircraft lived up to its name, the Flying Fortress. Out of 12,731 built there are only about 10 restored and airworthy examples remaining. For the airplane enthusiast, it’s an opportunity to have a museum come to the visitor instead of the traditional other way around.

The public will not only have the opportunity to look them over Sentimental Journey from the inside out, but to hear and see this famous aircraft fly. It’s a unique opportunity for aviation enthusiasts and history buffs young and old. Aviation gifts will be available for purchase through the PX. See the Arizona Wing CAF website for more information on Sentimental Journey at www.azcaf.org

For further information e-mail Rick Senffner for information or images at pio@azcaf.org

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 
May 1, 2009, Mesa, Arizona

 

PSA TEXT

IF YOU OR YOUR KIDS HAVE NEVER SEEN A B-17 "FLYING FORTRESS" UP CLOSE, OR WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE MOST AUTHENTICALLY RESTORED B-17 IN THE WORLD, COME TO YAKIMA AIR TERMINAL/MCALLISTER FIELD AIRPORT AND SEE THE COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE ARIZONA WING’S B-17 "SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY," FLYING IN ON MONDAY, AUGUST 312-NOON BY THE ARIZONA WING OF THE COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE.

"SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY" WILL BE ON PUBLIC DISPLAY AT YAKIMA AIR TERMINAL/MCALLISTER FIELD AIRPORT, MONDAY, AUGUST 3 THROUGH THURSDAY, AUGUST 6. FLIGHTS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE RESTORED WORLD WAR TWO B-17 BOMBER, FOR A SET PRICE OF $425 PER PERSON. PLEASE CALL 602-448-9415 TO SCHEDULE YOUR ONCE IN A LIFE TIME RIDE.

THE COMMEMORATIVE AIR FORCE ARIZONA WING’S B-17 SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY IS VISITING YAKIMA, WA, TO GIVE YOU A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THIS HISTORIC WORLD WAR TWO AIRCRAFT UP CLOSE, AND TO HELP MAINTAIN THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH YOUR DONATIONS AND RIDE FARES. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS AND HISTORY BUFFS YOUNG AND OLD. AVIATION GIFTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE THROUGH THE PX.

SEE THE ARIZONA WING CAF WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY AT WWW.AZCAF.ORG

 

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Arizona Wing CAF background information,

The Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force invites you to take a Sentimental Journey.

The Arizona Wing is an all-volunteer organization whose members are dedicated to preserving aviation history and wartime memorabilia for future generations. The Arizona Wing’s primary mission is to maintain and operate aircraft from WW II to Vietnam.  On display in the Mesa museum at Falcon Field Airport is the world famous B-17G Flying Fortress “Sentimental Journey” restored to its 1944 WWII configuration. Also displayed is a B-25 Mitchell that flew out of Corsica during WW II, a T-6, C-45, F4 Phantom, Mig 15 & 21, A-26 Invader, L-16 Grasshopper and AFS2 Guardian. Warbird rides are available for the B-17, T-6 and C-45 for those who want to experience the rumble of the round engine and what it must have been like for our pilots in a bygone era.

The Arizona Wing museum displays memorabilia from WWII and the Home Front through Vietnam and includes uniforms, leather flight jackets, medals, photographs, and other artifacts obtained through private donations. Special exhibits recognize WWII heroes such as ace pilot Maj. George Preddy, the top P-51 ace, and “Tuskegee Airmen,” a unit of African-American fighter pilots. Other displays honor fallen airmen such as the crew of “Chow Hound,” a B-17 bomber shot down over France in 1944 and recovered 60 years later. The American Volunteer Group  which made up the Flying Tigers and the China Burma India Theater plus a host of other exhibits.

You can tour through the B-17G Flying Fortress “Sentimental Journey” restored to its 1944 WWII configuration including each of crew positions in the legendary Flying Fortress.

The annual Night in the 40’s Big Band Dance and USO Show is held the third Saturday in March. A 1940’s style WWII Musical Show is preformed followed by the music of a Big Band Orchestra for your dancing enjoyment. Guests attending come dressed in the styles of the 40’s with a costume contest and a jitterbug contest, all in the shadow of Sentimental Journey.

The Arizona Wing is an all-volunteer nonprofit 501 c3 museum and receives no government funding. The wing is maintained and operated through fundraising events, gift shop sales and donations. The Arizona Wing is located at 2017 N. Greenfield Rd. at Falcon Field Airport in Mesa AZ. For more information call 480-924-1940 or visit our website www.azcaf.org.

Rick Senffner

Arizona Wing Commemorative Air Force

pio@azcaf.org

 

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