Were here at Rumble Over the Redwoods with pilot Jimmy Rollinson in a World War Two era B25 bomber, and we got a sneak peek inside of one of the shows special stars.
“It’s a 1944, 1945 vintage airplane. They were built a little earlier than that. has two right engines on it. It’s a bomber. It also had guns on it for strafing in low level. The airplane is famous because of Billy Mitchell, and during World War One he believed that an airplane could sink battleships. The Air Force was more important than the Navy, and the Navy did not want Billy Mitchell to sink a battleship”, Rollins said.
Billy Mitchell was a voice to reckon with, and he insisted on the Air Force’s strength in the Military.
“They named this after him because they realized how valuable air power combined with the Navy was. And this was before we really entered the war in Europe, because, you know, the Japanese bombed on December 7th, and that’s where this started this movement. So the Pacific War was more important. And that’s where, then comes in, Jimmy Doolittle, because we hadn’t really had a decisive act against Tokyo.”, Rollins said.
The organizers are a group of local businesses who formed a nonprofit, with hopes to inspire a new generation of Aviators through living history and live demonstrations.
“I’m a self-proclaimed aviation geek, of course, and have loved this industry ever since I was a kid. I got a chance to fly on an airline myself for the first time, and, ever since then, every time you see jets flying over I’m that kid looking up in the sky and wondering where they’re going or where they’re coming from. And really, it’s about doing the same for the kids today and young people today in Humboldt, is inspiring them to look up and have that wonder and desire. Hopefully to become a part of what I think is a very exciting industry in aviation”, says Cody Ruggatz, Humboldt County Director of Aviation.
In addition to vintage planes, there will be a variety of incredible stunts this weekend that go beyond traditional aviation.
Rumble over the Redwoods is at the Redwood Coast Airport in McKinleyville and will be held the weekend of August 10-11th. Gates open at 9am, and planes fly at 12. Tickets will be 40 dollars at the Gate.
Story by Tucker Caraway
