FAYETTEVILLE — “And from your left on take-off roll, the only flying B-29 Superfortress, Fifi!” airshow announcer Larry Strain exclaimed. With the four R-3350 engines at full throttle, the B-29 roared down the runway and lifted off in front of an enthusiastic air-show crowd. The Superfortress was skyward once more.

This was the scene at Fayetteville’s Drake Field on the afternoon of Sept. 20. The B-29 was part of the Arkansas Air and Military Museum’s Bikes, Blues and Bombers event which ran from Sept. 19-22. This event was part of the bigger Bikes, Blues and BBQ event, which is held every year in Fayetteville.

Fifi was not the only vintage war bird on display at Drake Field. She was joined by her squadron mate, Diamond Lil, one of only two fl ying Consolidated B-24 Liberators left in the world. The pair wasalso joined by the Dixie Wing’s Beech C-45, Bucket of Bolts, of Peachtree City, Ga. The trio tours the United States as part of the Commemorative Air Force fl ying ambassador program.

These aircraft and many more like them make up the CAFs fleet of 171 vintage war birds spanning from World War II to Desert Storm. The Midland, Texas, based CFA is comprised of 70 wings, squadrons and detachments located in 28 states and in Australia, France, New Zealand and Switzerland. The CAF is staffed by more than 9,000 volunteers who help maintain and fl y these war birds. They do this to honor all who built, maintained and fl ew these aircraft in all the major conflicts of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Veterans from all over Northwest Arkansas turned out to view Fifi, Lil, and Bucket of Bolts in living color. It is one thing to read about these aircraft in books, but to see the living,“breathing,” machines in person is quite another. Many WWII veterans had a chance to touch the aircraft they once flew more than 70 years ago.

One man, a B-29 pilot who was stationed on Tainan in the Pacifi c during WWII, grabbed the left arm of this author and volunteer at the museum, looked at him with tears in his eyes and said, ”I just want to thank you! I used to be a pilot on a B-29 in the Pacific during WWII. I wanted to see the 29 one last time before I die. You made that dream come true.”

No one within ear shot of this veteran had dry eyes. The B-29 veteran passed away a few days later, having seen his beloved B-29 Superfortress one last time. This is the mission of the CAF, the Arkansas Air and Military Museum and many organizations like them.

Several other aircraft flew in for the event. A Fairchild PT-19 from the Heart of America Wing, based in Olathe, Kan .,the AAM museum’s Stinston Junior, two North American AT-6s advanced trainer and the only fl ying SB2C Helldiver rounded out the list of aircraft for this event.

Bikes, Blues and Bombers was very successful for the Arkansas Air and Military museum, as well as the Commemorative Air Force. It was estimated that more than 2,500 visitors toured the aircraft and watched them fl y.

Because of the success, museum officials have decided to repeat this event again next year. So look for a host of vintage war birds to grace the skies of Northwest Arkansas next September.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 10/23/2013