KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The 2022 Garmin KC Air Show will pay tribute to the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force.
It officially became a separate branch of the U.S. Armed Forces on Sept. 18, 1947.
But the history of aircraft in the U.S. military dates back even further, and a Kansas City-area group is trying to preserve that legacy.
The Commemorative Air Force is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving World World II aircraft around the world.
The Kansas City-area branch is called the "Heart of America" wing. It's based at New Century AirCenter in Johnson County, Kansas.
That airfield has a history with the military — it served as a training base for Naval Air units in the early 1940s, then as an Air Force training base and radar station in the 1950s and 1960s.
Now, it's home to a flying museum of military planes.
Steve Zimmerman is the wing leader of the "Heart of America" wing. He's been flying planes for six decades, starting as a kid with his dad.
Zimmerman joined the Commemorative Air Force to fuel that passion, but he says now, it's more about the people he gets to meet.
"Almost all the World War II veterans are in their 90s, mid-90s," he said. "You get them to talk about it. We record those stories. It's pretty amazing for us to ensure the freedoms that we have today."
While the Commemorative Air Force is about education, it's also about experience. Visitors can buy tickets to take a ride in the historic planes.
John Wittenborn is a 26-year Air Force veteran and one of the pilots who take people on these rides. He says his favorite rides are with fellow veterans.
"We've taken what few World War II veterans are still around, and even fewer are amble enough to get up in this thing for a flight, and in some cases that just brought tears to their eyes, because they had experienced it back in 1941," he said. "That was quite an experience for them. It's quite an experience for me as well."
For this group, it's all about keeping history alive
"We're a flying museum," Zimmerman said. "That really adds to the story for people to get in these aircraft and be able to fly. I think that's important."
The "Heart of America" wing of the Commemorative Air Force will be at the Garmin KC Air Show this weekend showing off some of its planes.
The group also hosts an open house on the third Saturday of every month. More information, as well as a link to purchase tickets for rides, can be found on the "Heart of America" wing's website.
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