Remembering ‘Texas Raiders’

There are approximately 45 B-17 Flying Fortresses left. Losing this one feels personal.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, November 14, 2022 at 09:14 AM ET

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The B-17 ‘Texas Raiders’ from the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing. [Courtesy: Jim Allen]

Key Takeaways:

The recent fatal midair collision between a B-17 and a P-63 at the Wings Over Dallas Airshow has intensified the ongoing debate about the wisdom of flying rare historic aircraft.
Previous accidents involving B-17s, like the *Liberty Belle* fire and the fatal *Nine-O-Nine* crash, have fueled arguments for grounding the few remaining airworthy planes due to their extreme rarity.
The core dilemma discussed is whether these aircraft should be preserved through static display or continue to fly to "educate, inspire, and honor" as per the Commemorative Air Force's mission, with the author expressing mixed feelings but acknowledging the value of flight.
The author shares a personal story about their first encounter with the lost B-17 *Texas Raiders*, highlighting the deep emotional connection and public engagement these flying historical aircraft foster.

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By now you have probably heard about the midair collision between a Bell P-63 Kingcobra and the B-17 Texas Raiders that took place the afternoon of November 12, 2022, during the Wings Over Dallas Airshow.

The event, a product of the Commemorative Air Force, was something so many people looked forward to—including me, as the week prior to the event I had written stories mentioning aircraft slated to be at the show, namely the P-51 Tuskegee Airmen and Texas Raiders. I was looking forward to watching the video of the event—and I did see lots of video—just not what I wanted to see.