Historic Moment: B-52 Lands at Loring AFB for the first time in 29 Years

LORING AFB, Maine (WAGM) -Bombers were once again in the skies and on the ground at Loring Air Force Base. Newssource 8′s Corey Bouchard takes us to Loring to witness sights not seen in nearly 30 years.

All eyes were on the skies at the former Loring Air Force Base as a B-52 flew in and touched down, something that has not happened at Loring since the last bombers left the base in November of 1993, 29 years ago. Cuppy Johndro, the Co Chair and Secretary for the Loring Air Force Base Museum says the landing of this plane is something they have been working on for many years.

Cuppy Johndro - CoChair / Secretary - Loring AFB Museum “the significance is there are so many people here who didn’t want the base to close for them it’s almost like a homecoming, there’ve been people I’ve talked to all week, night and day and they are just stoked about the event”

Johndro says there is one man who should receive all the credit in making this historic day possible.

Cuppy”I want them to know that Matt Cole was the wings for us, he was the wings for us, he was the guy who brought them here and fought for it and never stopped fighting.

Matt”About 8 months of pure misery to get this here, fighting and arguing and paper shuffle to get this here, fighting and arguing and paper shuffle, miserable, but its here”

The Crew of the B52, which is stationed in Barksdale Airforce Base, Louisiana was honored to receive such a warm welcome.”

Lt. Col. Jason Dymond “V8″ " We’re really excited to be here This is a huge honor, very fortunate that we can get on this flight and come up, some of us, it was pretty last minute, we had a couple of different crew swaps and crew issues but happy to be here with these guys flying and happy to be up here, thank you for having us”

Major Kevin Wood, who landed the B52, says flying the aircraft is a lot different, because of the history and community that surrounds it

Maj. Kevin Wood “Heat” " the B52 chooses you its one of the things where it’s not the shiniest sports car out there, like we all watch top gun and want to be tom cruise, but once you start flying it, the community that’s around it, the people who have flown it before, its a 1960 tail a lot of history, if you go to an air show, people will walk by the fighters and come up to the Buff”

The B52 will be on display all weekend at the Loring Air Force Base Open House. Corey Bouchard, NS8

There are many other events and for a full schedule you can check out the Loring Air Force Museum Facebook Page. Coming up on Newssource 8 at 6, Brian Bouchard will have a Story on the Past, Present, and Future of the base.