There was never a time in my life when I was not fascinated by the B-17.

I often tell people that it was meant to be, as Memphis Belle premiered on my fourth birthday, 12 October 1990.  And my parents did everything they could to satiate that interest.  Flight sims, models, air shows, and many, many books – never once did they discourage me from pursuing that fascination.  When I was in elementary school, I had to write an essay titled “What I want to be when I grow up.”  In it, I wrote that I wanted to join the Confederate Air Force in Texas and work on B-17s.  It still hangs on my parent’s refrigerator.

(Of course, it is now the “Commemorative Air Force.”)

Often, I must remind myself of how far I have come.  How would young Gerad react to what adult Gerad is doing?  It is sometimes easy to lose track of what is important.  Working on B-17s may be emotionally rewarding, but it is rarely easy.  We are a small community, and it can get quite competitive.  It has been a rough journey for Ray and me, as being a rebuild instead of a restoration can make it hard for some to take seriously.

But from the beginning, the team with Texas Raiders was nothing but supportive.

This went beyond just being colleagues – these guys were our warbird family.  When this tragedy happened, it was hard calling guys I hear from on a weekly basis, now just hoping that they would answer the phone.  My inbox is full of e-mails from Kevin, proofing each other’s writings and showing me his latest videos.  My mind goes back to Kevin letting my oh-so-timid wife into TR’s nose to look around, and Kevin, Howard, Dan, and I riffing a hapless Georgia waitress about not having any ‘sarsaparilla.’

Make no mistake about it, TR had a soul, too.  She was the Grande Dame of the B-17 flight circuit.  A Navy veteran of the Korean War, the WWII representative to Curtis LeMay’s retirement ceremony, and the first B-17 to tour the United States purely for historical purposes.

And the subject of many a schoolbook drawing for young Gerad Blume.

Words cannot express what we are all feeling.  We can only pray that the families of those lost eventually find peace.  Because of a terrible accident, some truly wonderful people are no longer with us on this earth.

You will be missed.

Here is a link to Kevin’s last video.  It is a guided walkthrough of the old bomber while in flight.  Before the accident, he had asked me to proof his narration.  We did such things for one another often, as we loved it.  When I first met Kevin, he asked me about what I did for a living.  I said, “I’m a historian.”  He said, “Man, I want your job.”  Nah buddy, I wanted yours.