Since this year marks the 50th anniversary of D-Day, the Confederate Air

Force Museum is presenting a show of rare World War II aircraft at the

Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport through June 19.

The world’s only flying “Superfortress” (the kind that dropped the atom

bomb, ending World War II) along with other CAF Museum planes are on

display.

A little bit about Superfortresses: The first B-29 Superfortress flew in

1942. In 1944 Superfortresses attacked Japanese-held Bangkok, Thailand and

then flew their first mission into Japan. After this mission, the Mariana

Islands of Saipan and Tinian were captured in August of that year and at

that point the Superfortresses had five airfields within striking range of

the Japanese home islands.

Soon after, the controversial “Enola Gay,” the Superfortress that dropped

the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, made an invasion of Japan unnecessary.

The planes at this exhibition may not have been as significantly active as

planes like the Enola Gay, but they remain as rare examples of World War II

machinery.

The Superfortress on exhibition is named “FIFI” – it is the only B-29 of

the 3,970 built during World War II still flying. This particular plane saw

most of her operational career as a trainer.

In 1954, the United States Air Force retired this plane and turned it over

to the China Lake Naval Ordinance Test Station in California to be used in

missile firing tests as a target.

After a search for a B-29 was completed with the discovery of FIFI in 1970,

test flights were not permitted due to Navy regulations. FIFI circled China

Lake and started her 1,250 mile nonstop flight to her new home in

Harlingen, Texas.

Along with this B-29, other planes will be on exhibit: “Diamond LiL,” one

of only two flying B-24/LB-30 Liberators, and “Tinker Belle,” a C-46

Transport used for flying supplies into China and Burma through high

mountains and dangerous terrain. This particular kind of plane flew

throughout the Vietnam War.

These aircraft are presented by the Confederate Air Force Museum, a

non-profit organization whose goal is to educate the youth of America about

this critical era of our history.

The display will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and a donation of $5

will be charged at the gate. Additional fees will be charged to view the

interiors of the planes.