Left breathless: Veterans take special flights on WWII-era planes

Fame’s a funny thing.

As a the Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrated six people whose fame was carved out on a football field, I had my own brush with fame, miles away and then almost directly overhead.

Soaring over Canton in a World War II-era B-24J Liberator, two feet from the cockpit, my feet dangling over the bomb bay doors, my thoughts turned to the pilot’s hurried instructions moments before.

Those doors are designed to drop bombs. ... Step on them and they might drop you.

The splat wearing my clothes on the promenade of the Stark County Fairgrounds most likely would enjoy some modicum of fame.

But, I was in the company of true greats Friday afternoon – though they care nothing for fame.

About 150 World War II veterans gathered at the MAPS Air Museum for flights on two bombers, the B-24 and a B-17G Flying Fortress. Also visiting the air museum adjacent to Akron-Canton Airport was a P-51 Fighter.

Being in the company of these veterans took my breath away. I felt truly honored to be in their presence.

The thing is, though, they treated me like a celebrity.

Me? Who am I but a young newspaper editor, being hosted by The Greatest Generation?

I shook many hands and met many fine people, including my new friend, Hank Lindsay, who invited me on the flight.

Lindsay is a WWII vet – a mechanic on a P-47 Fighter – and one of the most gracious people I’ve ever met. He, his wife and son greeted me at the door to MAPS on Friday. I sat with Hank on a golf cart on the tarmac while we waited for the bomber to arrive.

We talked about his L-2 Taylorcraft, which he bought 10 years ago – about the same time his wife gave him the ultimatum: Me or your pilot’s license.

He’s grounded now, and pretty sure he made the right choice. Just having the L-2, which he keeps at MAPS, seems to be enough. It flies, of course. He doesn’t. He’s offered to have his pilot take me up in it some time, and I hope to be able to take him up on that.

I also met three guys from the 82nd Airborne Division, Akron Chapter – Robert Winkler of Rootstown; Earl Anderson of Canton; and Francis “Hymie” Weakland of Cuyahoga Falls. They had the honor of being displayed in front of Hank’s L-2 Taylorcraft. Their chapter is about 180 members strong and open to any qualifying paratroopers.

Ralph Lynn, of Perry Township, was one of my co-passengers aboard the B-24. He piloted one like it in World War II. Asked how the experiences compare, he says, “completely different. Then, I was up front. Today, I was back in the waist.”

According to Hank, there are only about six B-24s still flying today; more than 18,000 were manufactured.

Rob Collings, of Stow, Mass., and Jim Harley, of Akron, have been piloting this one for “a long time.” For Stow, that’s about 18 years.

Maxine Lindsay, Hank’s wife, said her brother was a tail gunner in a B-24, and was shot down over Budapest, Hungary. It was an ordeal, but he made it home.

My flight on Friday was one I’ll never forget – a 15-minute blast of fresh air. The bomber got off the ground a lot smoother than expected, and once we were cruising, the passengers were invited to unbuckle and roam the craft.

I made my way from the cabin, back to the “waist,” where guns mounted on both sides pointed at unsuspecting pedestrians and Hall of Fame fans below, and to the gun turret in the tail, one like Maxine’s brother used to operate.

As the plane prepared to touch down again, I had to scurry back to my seat at the front of the bomber. Maneuvering my way past the bomb bay, I lost my footing for maybe a fraction of a second, luckily latching onto the golden rope – the only thing keeping me from, literally, bombing.

The plane touched down, just in time for me to witness something truly spectacular – 150 WWII veterans in front of the B-17G bomber, some on their own two legs, some on canes and others in wheelchairs. One of the veterans slipped off his cane and crumpled to the pavement, and several helped get him back on his feet.

As they posed for a group photo in front of the B-17G, my heart snapped a picture that I’m sure will never fade.

Robert McCune is editor of The Independent. Write to him at Robert.McCune@IndeOnline.com, or call 330-775-1124.