World War II veteran touches down in B-24 bomber amid tour

A man takes a photo of a B-24J Liberator heavy bomber Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2015, the Air Zoo in Portage, Mich. Air Force pilot and longtime Air Zoo docent Paul Smith, age 91, commanded a four-engine B-24J Liberator heavy bomber and its crew of 10 during World War II and flew in one Tuesday from an airport in Valparaiso, Ind., to the Air Zoo as part of a vintage aircraft tour. (Daytona Niles/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)
A man takes a photo of a B-24J Liberator heavy bomber Tuesday, Aug, 5, 2015, the Air Zoo in Portage, Mich. Air Force pilot and longtime Air Zoo docent Paul Smith, age 91, commanded a four-engine B-24J Liberator heavy bomber and its crew of 10 during World War II and flew in one Tuesday from an airport in Valparaiso, Ind., to the Air Zoo as part of a vintage aircraft tour. (Daytona Niles/Kalamazoo Gazette via AP)

A World War II veteran who commanded a B-24 bomber over Europe got the chance to ride in one of the planes as part of a vintage aircraft tour.

The Kalamazoo Gazette reports (http://bit.ly/1SSVe5k ) 91-year-old Paul Smith flew on the plane this week. The restored B-24 Liberator is at the Air Zoo near Kalamazoo alongside two other World War II aircraft, a B-17 Flying Fortress and a P-51 Mustang.

Smith recalled “a lot of nervousness, anxiety” from his wartime flights.

The planes are featured at the museum as part of the Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom tour, which continues through Friday at the Air Zoo in Portage before making other stops. The tour includes a chance to check out the planes and go on flights.  (AP)

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