CINCINNATI — Luke Bell told his dad he wanted to watch airplanes on his birthday. So his father took him to Lunken Airport, where the 3-year-old got more than he bargained for.
“You see it?”
Luke’s brother looked up into the sky, cupping his hands to form makeshift binoculars.
“Look,” his dad shouted. "It’s coming."
On Monday morning, the Cincinnati airport looked a little like a concert venue. There were lawn chairs, water bottles on the grass and lots of people taking pictures — one person even wore American flag shoes.
That’s because it’s not every day you get to see a piece of American history like this.
Meet Fifi, a B-29 airplane used during World War II that landed in Cincinnati on Monday. It’s one of only two planes like it still flying in the world. It’s the kind of plane historians say essentially ended the war by dropping atomic bombs in Japan, killing hundreds of thousands of people.
After it landed, 18-year-old Vinny Brueggen was asked to describe what he just saw. He didn’t hesitate. He said there was no way to sum it up in one word.
“I feel awesome,” Brueggen said, who hoisted another boy on his shoulders as the plane circled overhead. “It’s one of the coolest things I think I could see.”
It's all part of an air show that aims to educate about the price of freedom.
For pilot Patrick Clayton, it’s personal. Clayton’s grandfather served in World War II, and he flew a plane that escorted B-29s just like this one. Clayton’s grandfather used to take him to shows like this, where Clayton once crawled through a tunnel to get to the gunner’s chair.
“It really hits home,” he said.
On the runway, Jim Stitt directed the plane. Stitt is the commander of the Cincinnati Warbirds. He’s seen at least 15 of these planes land here.
“It’s just as exciting every time we see her,” Stitt said. “These are essentially flying museums.”
And Stitt says there’s no replacement for seeing history in person.
“It’s a visceral connection that I really can’t describe,” he said. “You have to experience it for yourself to appreciate it.”
HOW TO GO:
The Airpower History Tour is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at Lunken Airport, starting on Wednesday. The B-29 will fly on Saturday and Sunday at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Ticket information can be found at cincinnatiwarbirds.org
