Vintage Warplanes Arrive at Idaho Falls Regional Airport

ID – The Flying Legends of Victory Tour is bringing two of the rarest World War II fighter planes still in existence to the Idaho Falls Regional Airport for ground tours and personal flights. The Flying Legends of Victory is a tour run by the nonprofit Commemorative Air Force that flies planes stationed at Airbase Arizona in Mesa, Ariz. The two air crafts arriving in Idaho Falls are a B-25J Mitchell named “Maid in the Shade” and her tour partner, a B-17G Flying Fortress named “Sentimental Journey.”

Although these warplanes have flown side by side for several Flying Legends of Victory tours, they never fought together in World War II. The B-25J Mitchell first gained fame in a raid over Tokyo in 1942 by the Doolittle Raiders. The aircraft visiting Idaho Falls “Maid in the Shade” was based in Corsica and flew 15 combat missions over Yugoslavia and Italy. This B-25 aircraft can reach a speed of 275 mph and an altitude of 25,000 ft.

“Sentimental Journey” is a B-17G Flying Fortress that was built in November 1944. This model of warplane was made for daylight precision bombing, and planes like the one visiting Idaho Falls flew unescorted missions all over Europe for the majority of World War II. Today, “Sentimental Journey” is one of just five B-17s still flying out of the 12,731 made during the war.