MINOT, N.D. – Four pilots from North Dakota, including renowned air show performer, Warren Pietsch of Minot, N.D., will make a trip in late March 2011 in World War II aircraft. Such a trip has not been attempted in World War II aircraft in 70 years! The pilots and aircraft of the “Texas Flying Legends Museum” will fly to St. Maarten, an island in the northeast Caribbean,186 miles east of Puerto Rico, where they will take part in the 25th anniversary of the St. Barths Bucket Regatta.
Warren Pietsch will be flying the “Aleutian Tiger,” a P-40K Warhawk. Bob Odegaard, of Kindred, N.D., will be flying “Whistling Death,” a Goodyear FG-1D Corsair. Casey Odegaard, also of Kindred, will be flying “Dakota Kid II,” a P-51D Mustang. Dr. Henry Reichert, of Bismarck, N.D., and Doug Rozendaal, of Clear Lake, Iowa, will be flying the B-25J Mitchell Bomber, “Betty’s Dream.”
The aircraft will fly 1,100 nautical miles from Houston to St. Maarten for a three-day race, and then back to Houston. The aircraft will then fly in formation and make two stops between Houston and Fort Lauderdale (1,100 miles), and three stops between Fort Lauderdale and St. Maarten (1,200 miles). They will also be stopping in Great Exuma, Bahamas-Providenciales, Turks and Caicos-Aguadilla, Puerto Rico before arriving in St. Maarten. The trip is expected to take 14 hours each way.
The aircraft will be on display at the Dakota Territory Air Museum in Minot when it opens May 14, and will remain there through most of July.