Wings Over St. Louis Features B-25 "Show Me" Flights to Honor Fallen Veterans

By Carmelo Turdo

The annual Wings Over St. Louis event, hosted by the Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, was held this weekend at Spirit of St. Louis Airport. Visitors were greeted by exhibits featuring World War II vehicles and equipment, a 1942 Piper HE-1 air ambulance used in the Pacific Theater and the newly-painted North American B-25J Mitchell, Show Me, being prepped for a flight over Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery and up the Mississippi River past the Gateway Arch. Flights were conducted Saturday and Monday, with Sunday's flights being canceled due to the wave of storms that hit the St. Louis area. 

We begin our coverage with a look at the Commemorative Air Force information and merchandise booths, the World War II encampment and the arrival and display of the Piper air ambulance. This modified J-5C Cub Cruiser was designed to fill in the casualty evacuation role in the Pacific pending the arrival of the first Sikorsky helicopters used in a combat theater. During our Saturday morning visit, Local Channel 4 news reporter Kimberly Donahue interviewed the CAF's Rob Jenner and did part of her newscast from Anita Mack's Piper HE-1 cockpit. 

Show Me is a 1944 B-25J Mitchell medium bomber, serial number 44-31385, that was delivered to the U.S. Army Air Forces in January of 1945 and remained stateside as a TB-25J training aircraft until it was retired in 1958. It was sold to the first of several civilian operators the following year. The Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force took ownership of the aircraft in 1982 and named her Show Me in honor of the Missouri State motto. The Missouri Wing crew can be seen at airshows and special events throughout the Midwest each season, usually along with the wing's TBM Avenger, Aeronca L-3 Lil' Show Me and the Stearman trainer. Here we show the Saturday morning launch and recovery of Show Me.

The Aero Experience thanks the Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force and everyone who made the Wings Over St. Louis event possible. Check their event page to book your flight on Show Me or one of the other aircraft at their next event.