B-17 Bomber: A piece of American history
By: Nancy Cook
Updated: December 8, 2011
An oversized piece of American history recently landed at Shreveport's Downtown Airport.
A B-17 and named the Aluminum Overcast was here as part of the Experimental Aircraft Association's Salute to Veterans tour. Planes like this helped win the Second World War, although this one never saw real action.
Local Army Air Corps Veteran Martin McCoy, who trained in planes like this back in 1944, said seeing the plane again brought back lots of old memories.
"They didn't have plexi-glass in those, and it sure got drafty when you opened the hatch," he said. McCoy said the first time he rode in a B-17 was in gunnery school; he then flew with the 11th air force in the Aleutian Islands.
McCoy helped get things ready for flight by prepping the propellers and talking the NBC 6 News crews through takeoff procedures.
Members of the Experimental Aircraft Association say they love seeing veterans like McCoy experience flight again.
"It's easy to get mesmerized up there because it's just such a great view especially when enemy fighters aren't coming at you," said Meredith Whillock...Reported by Leslie Draffin
