A small fleet of World War II warbirds flown by the Commemorative Air Force arrived at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on Thursday, February 28. They will be at Mesa Gateway through the weekend. The public has the opportunity to buy rides aboard North American B-25J Mitchell Maid in the Shade N125AZ, Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Sentimental Journey N9323Z, and Boeing B-29 Superfortress Fifi N529B, North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War, Beech C-45 Expeditor N70GA Bucket of Bolts, and North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G. These pictures were taken on Friday March 1, 2013

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress N9323Z Sentimental Journey carries its original Army Air Force serial number, 44-83514. Its construction number is 32155. It was retired from the Air Force at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on January 27,1959. Acme Aircraft Parts of Compton, California registered it as N9323Z on July 31, 1959. Western Air Industries of Anderson, California acquired it in November 1960 and converted it to a fire tanker. It flew as tanker #E17. Aero Union Corp of Chico, California bought it on June 6, 1962 and flew it first as tanker #C17 and then as tanker #17. It was restored to stock military configuration as USAAF 44-83514 Class of 44 in 1977 by the Confederate Air Force. Soon after it was renamed Sentimental Journey. It is currently registered to the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum of Midland, Texas. It is operated by the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.

Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey

McDonnell-Douglas VC-9C 73-1683

Sentimental Journey

North American P-51D Mustang NL44727 Man-O'-War originally carried Army Air Force serial 44-72739. Its North American construction number is 122-39198. For a number of years it sat in open storage on the Universal Studios lot until Ascher Ward of Van Nuys, California recovered it in August 1970 and registered it as N44727 in 1971. For a while it was named Poontang. Elmer Ward acquired it in 1975 and restored it to the appearance of his original WW-II mount, 44-14292.

Grumman C-2A BuNo 162140 Modex 22 of VRC-30 Providers

Grumman C-2A BuNo 162173 Modex 24 of VRC-30 Providers

North American B-25J Mitchell N125AZ Maid in the Shade flew for the Army Air Corps as 43-35972. It was stored at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona in 1959. National Metals Company of Phoenix, Arizona registered it as N9552Z in January 1960 and sold it to Dothan Aviation of Dothan, Alabama in September 1960. It was fitted with an agricultural tank and spray bars in December 1960. John L. Stokes and Cen-Tex Aviation of San Marcos, Texas acquired it in August 1975 and sold it to Henry W. Fisher, Donald W. Ericson. and Robert E. Thompson of Bloomington, Mississippi in August 1979. It was bought by the Confederate Air Force of Harlingen, Texas in October 1981 and registered as N125AZ on September 6, 1991. It has been assigned to the Arizona Wing of the CAF at Mesa, Arizona in December 1999. It flies as 43-35972 Maid in the Shade It has had its nose art removed.

Spirit Air Airbus A319-132 N516NK

North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G was ordered by the Army Air Force as AT-6D 43-86092, but it was delivered to the US Navy as SNJ-5 BuNo 90725.

Beech D-18S N70GA is restored as RAF Expeditor KJ508 Bucket of Bolts.

Beech D-18S N70GA Bucket of Bolts.

Beech D-18S N70GA.

Beech D-18S N70GA pulls up after taking off from Runway 12 Left.

Aeronca 65-TAC N35587 is restores as an L-3E.

Grumman C-2A BuNo 162140 Modex 22 of VRC-30

Grumman C-2A BuNo 162140 Modex 22 of VRC-30

Grumman C-2A BuNo 162173 Modex 24 of VRC-30

McDonnell-Douglas T-45C BuNo 165633 Modex 201 of TW-2 based at Naval Air Station Kingsville, Texas.

Mcdonnell-Douglas T-45C Buno 165633 Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, March 1, 2013: McDonnell-Douglas T-45C BuNo 165633 Modex 201 of TW-2 taxiing at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on March 1, 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Grumman C-2A BuNo 162140 Modex 22 of VRC-30

Grumman C-2A Greyhound Buno 162140 Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, March 1, 2013: Grumman C-2A Greyhound BuNo 162140 Modex 22 of VRC-30 at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on March 1, 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Grumman C-2A BuNo 162173 Modex 24 of VRC-30

Grumman C-2A Greyhound Buno 162173 Phoenix-Mesa Gateway March 1 2013: Grumman C-2A Greyhound BuNo 162173 Modex 24 of VRC-30 taking off at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on March 1, 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Mixed bag; Formation fying training seminar from Falcon Field flies past Mesa Gateway.

Beech D-18S N70GA.

North American SNJ-5 Texan N3246G.

North American B-25J Mitchell Maid in the Shade N125AZ.

Allegiant Airbus A319-112 N301NV

Allegiant Airbus A319-112 N301nv Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, March 1, 2013: Allegiant Airbus A319-112 N301NV taxiing at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport on March 1, 2013. This photo is available as prints as large as 16 inches by 24 inches.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress N529B Fifi was delivered to the US Army Air Force as 44-62070. Its construction number is 11547. Following retirement in 1958 it was placed on the bombing range at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station. The Confederate Air Force acquired it on March 23, 1971 and registered it as N4249. It was flown to CAF headquarters at Harlingen, Texas on August 3, 1971. It was reigstered N529B in August 1981.

Sentimental Journey

Sentimental Journey and Fifi

More Mesa Gateway Airport displays

The former Williams Air Force Base is now known as Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. In addition to serving as a civil airport, it is frequently visited by military aircraft taking advantage of its limited traffic. Several pilot training schools operate at the airport. Allegiant Air provides passenger service to airports around the country on a fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-83s. An air tanker base occasionally hosts fire fighting tankers. Boeing has a test facility for hot weather tests and Advanced Training Systems Incorporated refurbushes Douglas A-4 Skyhawks.