B-17 Star of Bomber Fantasy Camp

B-17 Star of Bomber Fantasy Camp

A World War II Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress roared into Stockton’s airport this week for B-17 Bomber Fantasy Camp, a historical re-creation of a bombing run over Nazi Germany, held in California. Thirteen warbird buffs came from all over the country for the two-day camp. They donned flight suits, got barked at by gruff instructors, fired real machine guns and choked down real Spam.

“The idea is not just to have the artifacts, but to bring them to life,” said Taigh Ramey.

Ramey has amassed an awesome collection of World War II aircraft memorabilia and ground gear for the as-yet-unopened Stockton Field Aviation Museum.

But Bomb Camp, as it is called, used B-17 “Nine-O-Nine” belonging to the Massachusetts-based Collings Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to keeping old warbirds flying. Students paid $3,900. In return they got the WWII experience, from a USO show to dropping dummy bombs on Berlin, or at least some foothill country substituting for Berlin.

For the complete story by Michael Fitzgerald of The (Stockton) Record, click here.

Updated: May 31, 2013 — 11:00 AM
Air Age Media ©
WordPress Image Lightbox Plugin