La Crosse Regional Airport Celebrates 'Century of Aviation'

By Emily Pyrek

Source La Crosse Tribune, Wis.

July 29, 2019

8 min read

A quartet of planes dating back as many as eight decades graced the runway of the La Crosse Regional Airport Saturday morning, bringing a vintage touch to the flight hub’s landmark centennial anniversary.

Rather than filling the air with balloons, the La Crosse Regional Airport sent a historic B-29 Superfortress FIFI, B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil, T-6 Texan and PT-13 Stearman skyward for the “How Time Flies” celebration, with aviation enthusiasts invited to join two of them in flight for a price. Flown in by the Commemorative Air Force as part of the AirPower History Tour, the antique aircrafts gleamed in the sun, meticulously restored to mint-like condition.

Looking modern and sleek itself was the airport, thanks to a few rebuilds — and facelifts — over the years. In 1919, the city’s first airport, known as Salzer Field, opened on an 80-acre lot owned by the Salzer Seed Company at Losey Boulevard and Ward Avenue. In 1926, the city of La Crosse purchased Salzer Field, and Northwest Airlines offered the first commercial service to La Crosse.

Seven years later, the city decided to relocate the airport to French Island, and in 1945 construction was completed. Named the La Crosse Municipal Airport, the site continued to add buildings and hangars over the decades, eventually spanning nearly 1,400 acres, including a new terminal building and the development of Airport Industrial Park.

To “better represent the geographical area the airport serves,” it was renamed the La Crosse Regional Airport in 2013 and the most recent construction project on the property is a new 10-unit 10-hangar. Upcoming projects, says Miranda TerBeest, marketing and communications manager for the La Crosse Regional Airport, include expanding the apron, where planes are parked and serviced, and the opening of an onsite car wash in November.

The airport serves more than 190,000 people annually, and up to 1,500 people were expected to attend the How Time Flies event, which opened Friday and continues today.

“It’s just important to showcase how much aviation has been a staple in the community,” TerBeest said. “We’re trying to bring a little history to life.”

In addition to the retro planes, a MedLink helicopter and privately owned planes from local pilots were parked on the tarmac, and kid activities including a balsa wood plane flying contest were held outside the Civil Air Patrol building. The Flagship Detroit Foundation brought in a United Airlines DC-3, a model which revolutionized commercial flights in the 1930s.

“I’m partial to the DC-3,” said Alan Derrick, accompanied at the centennial event by wife Kelsey and daughter Lorelei, 3. “I think it’s a beautiful plane.”

While passengers appreciate the comfort and amenities of a modern flight, taking a seat in, or even just seeing, the retro planes was a novel experience not to be missed. Around 35 event goers were scheduled to take rides in the B-24 and B-29 planes, an experience costing up to $1,700 per person depending on the plane and seat.

The Boeing B-29 Superfortress, blimp-like in shape with “FIFI” painted in a cartoonish font, looked deceptively cheerful for a plane used to drop atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945.

One of only two of its model still capable of flight, the plane was recovered by the Commemorative Air Force in the 1970s in California, where it was being used as a missile target, and restored. Keeping the aging plane in air for an hour costs an estimated $10,000 and uses 1,500 liters of gasoline.

Also present at the event were the blue and yellow, two-seater PT-13 Stearman Plane, a model first ordered by the U.S. Army in 1935, and the T-6 Texan, a craft commonly used for training WWII pilots.

The B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil, one of only two “airworthy” B-24s, drew the attention of Hank Devine, 98, of Onalaska, who was a waist gunner in the same model in WWII.

On Saturday morning, his daughters arranged for him to take a ride in the camouflage print bomber, one side adorned with the image of a pinup girl perched on a giant gem. The B-24 bomber, first flown in 1939, was the most produced American aircraft in WWII with 18,842 built and Devine’s plane was called “Noon Balloon.”

Devine

Emily Pyrek, La Crosse Tribune

“It’s amazing to have Dad back (on a B-24) with so many memories,” said daughter Patty Schultz. “He talks so much about his airforce experience. ... It seems every time he has some different story to tell.”

Devine, a recent guest on a Freedom Honor Flight, went on 23 missions during WWII, and while he declined to talk much about his time in the war and Saturday’s flight he appeared to appreciate being reunited with the plane that defined his 20s. Through the few words he did share, his respect for those who served with him and the history on display was evident.

Alan Derrick expressed a deep love of planes himself, having been a hobby pilot in past years, as well as a fascination for the city’s journey to modern aviation.

“It’s nice to see the progression of the airfields in town,” he said. “They grew with La Crosse and La Crosse grew with them.”

The How Time Flies event continues Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, $8 for children ages 10 to 17 and free for age 9 and under. Airplane rides are not included in the ticket price.

+4 Photos: Planes on display this weekend at the CAF AirPower History Tour in La Crosse

B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil

B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil is one of the airplanes on display at the CAF AirPower History Tour.

Matthew Murphy, La Crosse Tribune

B-29 Superfortress Fifi

A Boeing B-29 Superfortress named “FIFI” is one of the airplanes on display at the Commemorative Air Force's AirPower History Tour, which is taking place this weekend at the La Crosse Regional Airport. The event showcases aircraft flown during World War II. The event allows for people to take rides aboard the specialty aircraft.

Matthew Murphy, La Crosse Tribune

PT-13 Stearman Plane

PT-13 Stearman Plane is one of the airplanes on display at the CAF AirPower History Tour.

Matthew Murphy, La Crosse Tribune

T-6 Texan Plane

T-6 Texan is one of the airplanes on display at the CAF AirPower History Tour.

Matthew Murphy, La Crosse Tribune

WWII planes from world's largest flying museum land this month in La Crosse

World War II airplanes with names like Superfortress and Liberator will descend on the La Crosse Regional Airport later this month for a three-day event presented by the Commemorative Air Force.

On July 26, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress named “FIFI” and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator “Diamond LIL” will arrive, accompanied by a T-6 Texan and a PT-13 Stearman and other aircraft.

The public is invited to view the airplanes and purchase rides from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 26-28.

The Commemorative Air Force acquired FIFI in 1971 when a member rescued and restored the plane. Since 1974, FIFI has been traveling the nation educating the next generation about those who served in WWII.

The Boeing B-29 was first flown in 1942 and was used to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. It was a staple of the U.S. Air Force until 1960.

The Diamond LIL is one of only two airworthy B-24 bombers in existence. The B-24 bomber was first flown in 1939 and was the most produced American aircraft of WWII.

The Commemorative Air Force, which is presenting its AirPower History Tour across the nation, is the world’s largest flying museum with a fleet of 170 WWII airplanes.

Event tickets are $15 and $8 for children ages 10 to 17. Children younger than 9 are admitted free.

Airplane rides range from $85 to $1,995 and may be booked in advance at AirPowerTour.org.

+9 From Tribune file: Photos from the 2014 Deke Slayton Airfest

2014 Deke Slayton Airfest

A North American B-25 Mitchell takes off during the 2014 Deke Slayton Airfest.