Boeing's 'Flying Fortress' stops by Seattle area

One of the only Boeing B-17s still flying will be soaring over the Seattle area this weekend. The Madras Maiden - formerly known as Chuckie - is on tour for the first time ever as part of The Liberty Foundation's Salute to Veterans tour.

"This is one of the most iconic airplanes in history,"  says chief pilot Ray Fowler, "It's like a classic car."

Fowler is a veteran combat pilot, who has been flying restored B-17s for more than 20 years.  He says at one point, Boeing was building one B-17 every hour - but of the 12,732 B-17s produced, only twelve are still flying right now.

"We want to keep them flying." Fowler says. "It's one thing to go see them sitting in a museum, but to get in the airplane and take a flight on board - to get the walk-through and see it fly from the ground - it really is a history lesson."

The Madras Maiden is at Renton Municipal Airport right now, and you can take a flight April 7th or 8th - weather permitting.  The flights cost $410-$450 each, and you need to schedule in advance.  Click here for more information.