Page 48 - World Airnews September 2020 Edition

AIRPORTS AIRPORTS

A CENTURY OF AVIATION

By Emily Pyrek

PT-13 Stearman Plane was one of the airplanes Attendees of the La Crosse Regional Airport's How Time

on display at the CAF AirPower History Tour Flies event viewed the B-29 Superfortress "FIFI."

One of only two of its model still capable of flight, the plane was 18,842 built and Devine’s plane was called “Noon Balloon.”

recovered by the Commemorative Air Force in the 1970s in Cali- “It’s amazing to have Dad back (on a B-24) with so many mem-
fornia, where it was being used as a missile target, and restored. ories,” said daughter Patty Schultz. “He talks so much about his

Keeping the aging plane in air for an hour costs an estimated (US) airforce experience. ... It seems every time he has some different

$10,000 and uses 1,500 liters of gasoline. story to tell.”
Also present at the event were the blue and yellow, two-seater Devine, a recent guest on a Freedom Honor Flight, went on 23

PT-13 Stearman Plane, a model first ordered by the US Army in missions during WWII, and while he declined to talk much about
1935 and the T-6 Texan, a craft commonly used for training WWII his time in the war and Saturday’s flight he appeared to appreciate

pilots. being reunited with the plane that defined his 20s. Through the

The B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil, one of only two “airworthy” few words he did share, his respect for those who served with him

B-24s, drew the attention of Hank Devine, 98, of Onalaska, who and the history on display was evident.

was a waist gunner in the same model in WWII. Alan Derrick expressed a deep love of planes himself, having
A Boeing B-29 Superfortress named “FIFI” is one of the airplanes At the event his daughters arranged for him to take a ride in the been a hobby pilot in past years, as well as a fascination for the

on display at the Commemorative Air Force's AirPower History camouflage print bomber, one side adorned with the image of a city’s journey to modern aviation.

Tour, which was held at the La Crosse Regional Airport pinup girl perched on a giant gem. The B-24 bomber, first flown “It’s nice to see the progression of the airfields in town,” he said.

in 1939, was the most produced American aircraft in WWII with “They grew with La Crosse and La Crosse grew with them.” Q

most recent construction project on the property is a new 10-unit
10-hangar. Upcoming projects, said Miranda TerBeest, marketing

quartet of planes dating back as many as eight decades and communications manager for the La Crosse Regional Airport,
Agraced the runway of the La Crosse Regional Airport include expanding the apron, where planes are parked and ser-

recently bringing a vintage touch to the flight hub’s landmark viced, and the opening of an on site car wash in November.
centennial anniversary. The airport serves more than 190,000 people annually, and up to

Rather than filling the air with balloons, the La Crosse Region- 1,500 people were estimated to have attended the event.

al Airport sent a historic B-29 Superfortress FIFI, B-24 Liberator “It’s just important to showcase how much aviation has been a
Diamond Lil, T-6 Texan and PT-13 Stearman skyward for the “How staple in the community,” TerBeest said. “We’re trying to bring a

Time Flies” celebration, with aviation enthusiasts invited to join little history to life.”

two of them in flight for a price. In addition to the retro planes, a MedLink helicopter and private-

Flown in by the Commemorative Air Force as part of the AirPow- ly owned planes from local pilots were parked on the tarmac, and

er History Tour, the antique aircrafts gleamed in the sun, meticu- kid activities including a balsa wood plane flying contest were held

lously restored to mint-like condition. outside the Civil Air Patrol building.

Looking modern and sleek itself was the airport, thanks to a The Flagship Detroit Foundation brought in a United Airlines DC-

few rebuilds - and facelifts - over the years. In 1919, the city’s first 3, a model which revolutionised commercial flights in the 1930s.

airport, known as Salzer Field, opened on an 80-acre lot owned by “I’m partial to the DC-3,” said Alan Derrick, accompanied at the
the Salzer Seed Company at Losey Boulevard and Ward Avenue. In centennial event by wife Kelsey and daughter Lorelei three years.

1926, the city of La Crosse purchased Salzer Field, and Northwest “I think it’s a beautiful plane.”

Airlines offered the first commercial service to La Crosse. While passengers appreciate the comfort and amenities of a

Seven years later, the city decided to relocate the airport to modern flight, taking a seat in, or even just seeing, the retro planes
French Island, and in 1945 construction was completed. Named was a novel experience not to be missed.

the La Crosse Municipal Airport, the site continued to add buildings Around 35 event goers were scheduled to take rides in the B-24

and hangars over the decades, eventually spanning nearly 1,400 and B-29 planes, an experience costing up to (US) $1,700 per per-

acres, including a new terminal building and the development of son depending on the plane and seat. B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil was one of the airplanes on display at
Airport Industrial Park. The Boeing B-29 Superfortress, blimp-like in shape with “FIFI” the CAF AirPower History Tour. The Diamond LIL is one of only two

To “better represent the geographical area the airport serves,” painted in a cartoonish font, looked deceptively cheerful for a plane airworthy B-24 bombers in existence. The B-24 bomber was first flown

it was renamed the La Crosse Regional Airport in 2013 and the used to drop atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945. in 1939 and was the most produced American aircraft of WWII
World Airnews | September 2019 World Airnews | September 2019
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