Olympic Flight Museum – A High-Def Thrill Ride That’s ‘Maid in the Shade’

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By Kathryn Millhorn

olympia vision clinicIn our high-tech, high-definition world it’s easy to accept simulation over the real thing.  But when the real thing comes along, our comfort zone gets blown out of the water…or over it, in the case of a roaring, stomach-churning, amazing thrill ride on the historic World War II B25J bomber ‘Maid in the Shade.’

Built in 1944 and a proud veteran of World War II’s many theatres of combat, the ‘Maid’ will be visiting the Olympic Flight Museum through August 18, between 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.   Her flight crew will provide up close and personal cockpit tours of the airplane to Museum visitors for only $5 and eager aviators can even book flights for $395 – $650.  While aloft, riders can crawl into gunner stations and experience the Maid’s nimble agility.

bomber
A World War II B25J bomber will be at the Olympic Flight Museum through August 18.

After watching the gorgeous silver plane descend on Monday afternoon, I was able to participate in the thrill first-hand.  We were introduced to the flight crew and pilots, who personably gave us the plane’s history, particulars, and a tour of her artwork while answering questions.  I then strapped myself in directly behind the pilot!

From this spectacular vantage point, the pre-flight checklist progressed rapidly.  We flew over Olympia, circling the state Capitol campus, Capitol Lake, downtown, and Puget Sound.

During the flight, the seven passengers took turns—three on the flight deck and four in the rear waist gunner position—crawling into gun stations and looking out the many small windows.

Everyone took pictures and videos of the flight since engine noise and required ear protection prevented conversation.  The smells, sounds, and vibrations are intense from start to finish.  The pilot even made a few acrobatic turns which, they said “would be realistic if people were also shooting at us.”

olympic flight museum
This was the view from my seat during my ride on the World War II bomber, ‘Maid in the Shade.’

The B-25 became famous after the Doolittle Raiders launched them from the USS Hornet to bomb Tokyo in April 1942, a mere four months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.  The Maid, originally known only as 335972, spent much of the war off the Corsican coast attacking primarily bridges and railroads.

She has a top speed of 200 mph and burns 150 gallons of gas an hour.  After the war she was used as a trainer and eventually transitioned into civilian life in the 1960’s, working as an agricultural sprayer out of Alabama and a firefighter in California.

Retired from active use in the 1980s, the plane was donated to the non-profit Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona.  Repairs and restoration took more than 28 years at the loving hands of volunteers.

With harsh southwestern conditions requiring the extensive maintenance be done indoors or under cover, the plane was dubbed ‘Maid in the Shade.’  Pilot Spike McLane is proud to helm a beauty once dubbed the “hanger queen who’s never gonna fly.”

olympic flight museum
During the flight, passengers move around the plane. This is the view from the rear gunner position.

The Maid now spends half of her year in Mesa, Arizona and travels widely the rest of the time.

Her crew of volunteers fluctuates by location and currently includes a Poulsbo resident in Mike Mueller, the loadmaster.  He’s “always had a love of planes” and joined this leg of the journey in Penticton, British Columbia before crossing parts of Canada and now heading south once again.  He says they “had a wonderful trip across Canada before this” and are excited to explore Thurston County by air once again.

The Olympic Flight Museum is unique in that their collections of historical aircraft are all flight worthy.  Seeing history up close is a profound experience made life changing when you actually experience it in the flesh.  Don’t let this pass you by; it could be years before the opportunity arrives again.

olympic flight museum
Pilot Spike McLane talks about ‘Maid in the Shade.’

Olympic Flight Museum

7637-A Old Highway 99 SE in Olympia

360-705-3925

To book a flight experience, call the Maid’s crew at 480-322-5503.

 

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