History Presentation The Life-Journey of April Girl—A B-17 Flying Fortress in Europe Saturday, November 11, 2023
The B-17 is an iconic part of American World War II history. Author and speaker Fred Martin provides a collective history of one B-17—April Girl II—from manufacture to delivery across the North Atlantic, and her 111 combat missions over Europe. Throughout the war, April Girl II always brought her crews home safely until she was sent to her ignominious end in an Arizona salvage yard.
These are real stories of a real aircraft and real people the author has known in Colorado including a B-17 pilot, aircraft engineer, tail gunner, and a tribute to Bill Roche, long-time Museum visitor and B-17 waist gunner. This richly illustrated presentation includes the account of a harrowing bombing mission to Schweinfurt Germany where another Colorado resident was a young girl on the ground that day.
This will be a fitting and fascinating observance of Veteran’s Day at the National Museum of World War II Aviation, Saturday, November 11th. The presentation is included in the price of admission to the museum. Doors open at 9am. The presentation begins at 10am.