World War II bomber on display at DuPage Airport's Community Days

Jim Snicki was in awe of the World War II-era fighter plane sitting along the runway Saturday at the DuPage Airport in West Chicago.

"It's just the perfect time to shoot some photos of that plane," the Naperville man said as he adjusted his camera to take shots of the P-51 Mustgang, one of three historic aircraft on display during the airport's annual Community Days Weekend.

"It's just a beautiful plane, and a dream to behold for an aviation enthusiast like myself," he added.

Visitors to the airport spent the afternoon walking through the cramped quarters of the B-24 Liberator and B-17 Flying Fortress, both heavy aircraft bombers used extensively during World War II. A few doled out the $425 fee earlier in the morning to spend some time flying in the aircraft.

"It changes their perspective of what it was like to be a fighter pilot back in those days," said Jim Harley, a ride coordinator with the Collings Foundation, the group responsible for bringing the planes to West Chicago.

Several teams of DuPage and Lake County police officers also spent Saturday competing in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run Plane Pull, with proceeds from the contest benefitting Special Olympics Illinois.

In the end, a team of Glendale Heights police officers and members of the DuPage County SWAT team placed first in the contest, which involved pulling a 75,000-pound Gulfstream G-IV 20 feet down a runway with rope.

The Community Days weekend continues today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the DuPage Airport grounds, located at 2700 International Drive in West Chicago. Tours of the planes are $12 for adults and $6 for children.

For more information on scheduling a flight on the World War II aircraft, call Harley at (978) 618-6626.