(Radio Iowa) – Residents of Southside Des Moines are hearing an unfamiliar rumble in the skies. It’s not thunderstorms, but a squadron of World War Two-vintage aircraft. Jacques Robitaille, spokesman for the AirPower History Tour of the Commemorative Air Force, says they’re offering guided walk-throughs of the legendary flying machines, as well as charter flights from the Des Moines International Airport.

“Our queen of the fleet here is our B-29 Super Fortress,” Robitaille says. “It’s a large, four-engine heavy bomber that was used during the Second World War, infamously, or I should say famously known for, this was the type of aircraft that dropped the atomic bomb.” A P-51 Mustang, perhaps the most famous fighter from the war, is also on the tarmac, along with another bomber, the B-25 Mitchell, in addition to a few other famed fliers.

“We have a PT-13 Steerman which is a multi-wing or double-wing open cockpit airplane,” Robitaille says, “and we have a T-6 which is a trainer aircraft, and an RC-35, which is a double-wing Twin Beech.” It’s a rare treat to see these well-preserved showpieces of aviation history, he says, and their numbers are dwindling. The B-29, named Fifi, is among only two such bombers still flying anywhere in the world.

“During the course of the week, folks can come out to the ramp and see these planes up close and personal,” Robitaille says. “The smaller planes will be giving rides on demand all week long, and the bombers are giving rides on Saturday and Sunday, two rides each day, one at 9:00 and one at 10:30.” The tour’s mission is three-fold: to honor, to educate, and to inspire.

“We want to honor the men that flew these machines and the women who built these machines,” Robitaille says. “We want to educate the general public on the role that they played during the Second World War, the great war against authoritarianism and totalitarianism, as well as to inspire young people to pursue careers in aviation.”

Flights in the B-29 range as high as $2,000, but he says the cost to maintain the fleet is exceptionally high, especially for the all-volunteer corps of pilots and mechanics. The aircraft are staged at the Signature Flight Support ramp through Sunday.

AirPowerTour.org