So, as soon as we were all dressed and ready, and Mommy had fed John one more time (he eats a lot, by the way), we got into our car and drove through the mountains to Heber.
Mommy and Daddy were so excited, because as soon as we pulled into Heber, the plane flew right over our car! Daddy unrolled all the windows so we could hear the engines. It was pretty noisy, but really cool. Mommy said she got goosebumps and said she might even cry. I don't know why the plane flying over us made her sad; I thought it was exciting.
It was pretty hot at the airport today. We took nice cool water and Mommy covered John up with a blankie so he wouldn't get sunburned. It was nice though, because there weren't a lot of people there. We looked at a couple of other planes while we waited for the B-17 to land. There was a big yellow airplane that Daddy said was a Boeing Stearman. It had just one engine, but it was really noisy, too!
Finally, we saw the B-17 coming in to land. It was noisy again and kind of windy. While we watched it land, Mommy turned to the man next to us and asked him if he was excited to go for a ride in it (he was wearing a badge that said he would get to be a passenger). He said, "they're letting me go free!" "Oh?" Mommy said. "I was a pilot during WWII, I flew a B-17. I'm 93 years old."
I knew that was pretty cool, because Mommy got really excited. She talked to him for a few more minutes, and found out that he flew a plane called Passion Wagon and flew over Holland during the war. After he left to get on the plane, Mommy said she bets that he comes every day while the B-17 is in Heber. I think she's right.
Oh! Guess what? While we were waiting, Mommy bought some postcards for our collections and she also got me my very own B-17 to play with! It is just the right size for me to play with and Daddy showed me how to make it fly. He makes the sound just like the B-17 made when it landed--except not as loud.
After the plane landed and everyone got out, we got to go walk around it and look at the wings, the engines, and the big white star on the side. We also looked at the big wheels and the chocks (the things that keep the wheels still). Daddy showed me the ball turret and explained that a man usually sat there and fired guns at the bad guys! I don't think I would like that spot at all. We were sad that we couldn't go in, because they were giving rides to people today. Luckily, Mommy asked one of the ladies in charge and she said if we came back after 2:00 we could go inside!
The plane took off again while we were there. Daddy held me up and we watched the man on the ground wave to the pilot and tell him when to turn each engine on. Daddy said they start with number 4, then do number 3, then 2, then 1. As each engine started, it got louder and louder. Finally, it went down the runway and was flying in the sky!
We went and got some lunch (I had french fries) and visited Daddy's office. Mommy fed John, again, while I colored with Daddy's markers and he checked his work email. I like going to Daddy's office. Amelia always gives me treats and I get to sit in a chair that spins around!
I was pretty tired, and Mommy and Daddy talked about just taking us home. But I said "see plane again?" And Mommy said, "Ok, let's go and see it one more time." "One more time," I confirmed.
We loaded up in the car again, went across the street, and went to see the plane. I held on tight to my plane as we walked back in. The lady at the gate remembered us, so we got to go right on through.
There was a bit of a line to get on the plane, so Daddy and I walked around the plane again and looked at everything while Mommy and John held our place in line. It was really hot still. Luckily, they had umbrellas for people to hold to keep the sun off. That helped a lot!
Finally, it was our turn. Mommy and John climbed up first. We went through what Daddy called the "forward hatch," which is right by where the navigator and the bombardier sit. It was pretty crowded, and I got kind of scared. I asked Daddy if we could get out, but he promised me there would be more room in a minute and some cool things to see. He was right!
We stopped and took a look at where the pilot and co-pilot sit, and then where the radio man sat. But my favorite part was definitely seeing the bombs! That was so cool. Mommy said they wouldn't explode, so I could touch one. I liked seeing them all lined up inside the plane.
After that, we went back to where the waist gunners sit. There was lots more room back there, and I felt a lot better exploring a bit. We looked at the guns and out the windows at the people below us. That plane is really big!
It was getting past nap time and John was getting pretty hot, so Mommy said it was time to go. We clambered out of the airplane (a nice man helped Mommy and John get down), took one last look at the B-17 and the Boeing Stearman before we said good bye.
We had a great time today! Even though it was hot, I loved going to see the cool airplanes. Daddy says we can go to another airport again sometime!
--Little Brute
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