My Air Force hubby has always LOVED planes, but his all-time favorite is a P-51 Mustang! There are so many neat vintage planes out there, and one way to get so see them up close and personal is through the Air Power History Tour. When the tour came near us recently, we quickly made arrangements to make this dream come true!

The Commemorative Air Force is a non-profit organization that brings vintage planes around for the public to get a close encounter with as they explore their amazing planes. Additionally, at some events, you can also pay for an opportunity to take a ride inside of the planes as well. For awareness, this varies based on the plane, and may be a sticker shock for some of the experiences, as it ranges from $340 to $4,000 per person!

We got to see a PT-13 Stearman, which is a biplane with an open cockpit. I am not sure how I would feel about them going in that one being open like that!?!?!

We also got to check out the AT-6, which was used as a trainer plane back in the day.

The biggest plane on the tour was the B-29 Superfortress “Fifi”. This plane was a WWII bomber. This plane was a monstrosity compared to the rest of the planes from this event!

My son and husband had the opportunity to ride in the C-45 together. Random fun fact (that really scared me though) is that they have glass windows on the belly of the plane (floor) so you can see straight down to the ground! They received their pre-flight instructions, got buckled in, and away they went!

My hubby had his dream come true as he was able to ride in a P-51 Mustang! This was one of the best fighter planes from the WWII era!

During his experience, he got to pull a few G’s on their ride and said it was the best experience he ever had in his life!

While he was up in the sky, a second P-51 was heading in to be a part of the day’s event. It was neat to look out the window to see another P-51 flying next to the one he was in.

He was all smiles from the pre-flight instructions until he was back on the ground, it was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that he could check off of his bucket list!

Seeing vintage planes is quite an experience and a great reminder from where we have come in our military aviation journey. Who knows where we will head next, or when our current planes will be considered vintage! If you ever have an opportunity to check out vintage planes, I hope you take advantage of the history and experience you will be in for!

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