TEXARKANA -- Texarkana history aficionados and aviation enthusiasts got a glimpse into the life of a World War II aviator last week, courtesy of the Commemorative Air Force.
Texas Raiders, one of 14 flight-capable B-17s in the world, took them for a ride in the Texarkana skies.
Texas Raiders was one of the last 20 B-17s built, designated a Boeing B-17G and built for a war that was coming to a close. Originally intended for the European front, the plane was redirected to the Pacific war effort and, with special fuel-capacity modifications for the long flights it would have to take, awaited its opportunity to be put to use.
"She was one of just under 13,000 of her kind," said David "Laser" McConkey, loadmaster for Texas Raiders. "She never had a chance to fly in the war. She was waiting for her moment on the West Coast [of the U.S.], then Japan surrendered."
The plane was a new military airframe in need of a new mission. It next became the property of the Navy. After some time as a PB1B -- a plane that carried rescue supplies and equipment to those in trouble at sea -- the aircraft got another mission.
"She was the first AWACS [Airborne Warning and Control System] plane, a type of aircraft built as a forward radar and sensor platform," said Col. Howard Quoyeser of the Commemorative Air Force. "That technology was very new at the time, and she was the first plane of her kind, seeing service over Korea during the Korean War."
The Commemorative Air Force, an organization that preserves historic planes that are in flying condition, paid $50,000 for the plane in 1967. The aircraft was renamed the Texas Raiders to honor all Texas veterans. It was to be restored and preserved as a war-bird in its original B-17 condition and flown over crowds wanting to see living history.
"Ninety-nine percent of her is faithfully restored," Quoyeser said. "Because she is a flying aircraft and is under Federal Aviation Administration rules, she does have modern avionics and navigation equipment. But other than that, she is as she was when she awaited her chance at the end of World War II."
Texas Raiders is one of 165 aircraft in the Commemorative Air Force's fleet. The organization was started by pilots from the southern Texas valley area, around Brownsville and Harlingen, who noticed World War II-era planes were disappearing and sought to preserve them. Most of the planes are American, although the Commemorative Air Force has a few aircraft of Japanese and German design.
"Texas Raiders is the very first bomber purchased by any organization for flying preservation, to preserve and keep in flying condition," Quoyeser said.
Among those who showed up to see Texas Raiders was Linda Miller Smith and her husband, Jack, who was wearing the uniform tunic of Linda's father, Frank Miller. Miller was an Army Air Corps aviator in World War II who flew in a B-26 bomber during 55 missions.
"I'm hoping we can ask the pilot to fly Texas Raiders over my father's house," Linda said.
State Desk on 09/25/2016