Flying high again

Two area veterans were given a special ride aboard a Vietnam War-era plane on Thursday, as they were unable to attend a recent fly-in event.

June 3, 2022 - 3:32 PM

Rodney Thummel, front, and Dwight Blackwood wait for takeoff in a Douglas AC-47 Spooky, owned by the American Flight Museum in Topeka. The two men were unable to attend a recent fly-in event for Vietnam-era veterans, so Sgt. Leon Smith organized a special trip for them. Photo by Vickie Moss / Iola Register

Dr. Dwight Blackwood smiled nonstop on Thursday afternoon during a flight in a Douglas AC-47 Spooky, a plane owned by the American Flight Museum in Topeka.

“Isn’t this something?” he said.

“This brings back a lot of old memories. Except I’m not wearing a parachute. But I’m not jumping out of this one.”

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