Two World War II battle aircraft are on display at the Columbia Regional Airport after landing at the facility Monday afternoon.
The B-29 Superfortress and the P-51 Mustang — Gunfighter, one of the most famous P-51s — will be available for personal flights and photo opportunities starting Tuesday at 9 a.m.
The P-51 Mustang is a long-range fighter that was originally used to escort Allied forces and aircraft like the B-29 during World War II.
The B-29 Superfortress took more than 15 years to refurbish and is one of two B-29 planes still able to fly in the world. The two B-29s are named Doc and Fifi — Doc is visiting Columbia. There were 1,644 of the aircraft originally manufactured.
The B-29 is the type of plane used to carry and drop atomic bombs over Japan during the war.
Pilot Steve Zimmerman said this aircraft holds historical value because of what it once accomplished many years ago.
“This is the aircraft that ended the war,” Zimmerman said. “It cost a lot of lives, but it saved a lot more than it cost.”
