PHOTOS AND VIDEO: Combat aircrafts make appearance as Rose City AirFest kicks off

Published 2:30 pm Friday, July 1, 2022

The second annual Rose City AirFest is underway.

The airfest, which is scheduled to last all day Friday and Saturday, kicked off Friday morning with the take-off of a B-29 and a B-25 plane.

Both aircrafts were used to carry and drop bombs into enemy territory during the Vietnam War, according to Air Force Pilot Kevin Miller.

The featured performer at Friday night’s show will be the B-29 Superfortress “Doc,” one of only two B-29s still flying in the U.S.

Shortly after Friday morning, a C-130 aircraft landed at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.

The C-130 was used in the Pacific War between the U.S. and Japan between 1941 and 1945.

Dan Wimberly, who is a restoration technician for C-130, said the average age for those who flew inside the plane was between 19 and 20. Some of the missions lasted from 17 to 18 hours.

Other combat planes present at the inauguration are scheduled to perform in the air show scheduled Friday at 6 p.m. The event opened to the public at 2 p.m. for family fun ahead of the show.

Tickets at the gate are $30.