NEVER, EVER, Forget... LSFM's B-17 Is A Living/Flying Museum

Amidst all the gleaming and shiny new whiz-bangs at Oshkosh 2008, were a few ghosts of the past. Birds that had seen better days and been forced to prove themselves on the field of battle not once but a hundred times... and more. The have tales to tell and inside them all lay the hopes, dreams and even blood of the brave crews that chased the enemies of freedom from the skies, despite the fear, the danger and the uncertainty of a World war.

One of those ghosts looks an awful lot like a B-17... by the name of "Thunderbird."

The B-17 Flying Fortress was an Army Air Corps heavy-duty bomber from World War II. These four-engine aircraft flew strategic bombing missions over Europe armed with .50 caliber machine guns and five thousand pounds of bombs. 13,000 B-17’s were produced over the course of the war, of which only 13 still are airworthy today. The Lone Star Flight Museum’s B-17 is painted in the colors of ‘Thunderbird’, an aircraft with the 303rd bomb group which flew 116 missions during World War II.

The Lone Star Flight Museum tells ANN that it , a 501 (c)(3) self-supporting educational museum, began as a private aircraft collection in June 1985. The acquisition of more aircraft quickly led to a search for a new home. In 1990, construction of a 50,000 sq. ft. Phase I facility began at Galveston's Scholes Field. Continued rapid growth required construction of a 30,000 sq. ft. Phase II hangar in 1991. Along with the aircraft collection, the LSFM began to acquire and display aviation memorabilia and artifacts, develop educational programs, and recruit volunteers through a Membership Program implemented in July 1991. The LSFM receives over 35,000 of volunteer service hours each year. Many programs and participation opportunities are available for members to promote and support the LSFM mission.

The Museum's flying collection of award winning aircraft annually logs more than 40,000 cross-country air miles to participate in flying displays and air shows. For instance, the Museum's P-47 Thunderbolt participates in the United States Air Force "Heritage Flight" program. Comprised of Air Force demonstration pilots and select vintage aircraft, the "Heritage Flight" unites the classic war birds of yesterday with current inventory jet fighters at aviation events across the country. This unique production takes the living history lesson to the public in the air and is seen by over 1.5 million people each year.

Take A Moment And Honor Those Who Served Aboard B-17s During WWII With Aero-TV (Part 1)

FMI: www.lonestarflight.org, www.aero-tv.net, www.youtube.com/aerotvnetwork, http://twitter.com/AeroNews