Port Angeles: Riding in historic bomber was “way cool,”” group agrees

PORT ANGELES — A group of history buffs, tourism officials and journalists who flew up from Olympia Monday morning in the Collings Foundation’s B-17G Flying Fortress had the same collective reaction:

* Riding in the fully restored World War II aircraft was “way cool.”

* It was even better without hostile Nazi aircraft shooting at them.

The Collings Foundation of Stow, Mass., is hosting its “Wings of Freedom” tour through Wednesday at the airport.

The tour features the only fully restored and flying B-24 and one of only nine airworthy B-17s.

The tour made 121 stops in 38 states in 2003, including a three-day stay in Port Angeles in June.

That stop attracted more visitors than any other West Coast stop, prompting organizers to return this year.

“It was a blast. The feeling of being in a plane that actually flew in the war, said Lori Gray, marketing assistant for the North Olympic Visitor and Convention Bureau, said of the B-17G flight.

“That was amazing. I wonder it was like with aircraft shooting at you,” she said.

Gray said the best part of the flight was being in the forward gun turret, which offered a sweeping view of the Olympic Peninsula as the plane traveled up from Olympia.