Twelve O’Clock High and Masters of the Air will come to life at Bomber Camp 2024. Hosted by the Stockton Field Aviation Museum, in Stockton, California, on May 3rd, Bomber Camp offers an immersive World War II living history experience enabling participating ‘cadets’ to step back in time to train for a bombing mission and then fly it – for real. Cadets will experience the sights, sounds, and smells that few others have known, and gain a greater appreciation for the men and women of the Greatest Generation.
This year’s Bomber Camp offers Training On Demand, a new immersive experience geared toward relatives and enthusiasts of air and ground crew members, who would like to learn more about what they experienced during training and combat. These courses are custom-tailored to your areas of interest. You could choose a full day to go in-depth on one subject, or multiple topics as you like. Scheduling is also up to you, even with short notice, should you find yourself to be in the area. The Training On Demand camp can be scheduled throughout the year at almost any other time besides early May. More details can be found HERE.
Bomber Camp begins with ‘cadet’ induction and orientation, followed by classes in aerial gunnery, bombardier training, navigation, and World War II radio operations. Gunnery class introduces cadets to various weapons systems that U.S. Army Air Forces aircrew would have used, especially the famous Browning 0.50-cal. machine gun. The class also includes instruction on how to operate a variety of U.S. bomber turrets (including the famous Sperry ball turret and Martin 250CE top turrets used in B-17s and B-24s, amongst other types) and flexible machine guns, and how to aim them by leading the target and compensating for range. Cadets will then employ what they have learned during a mission on board the Erickson Aircraft Collection’s Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Ye Ole Pub, where they will drop dummy bombs using the Norden Bomb Sight. Bomber Camp is the only place where you can experience this kind of World War II living history in such an immersive environment.
Opportunities for additional flight training and rides in the AT-6 Texan and P-51 Mustang will also be available. For more information about Bomber CampTM 2024 and how you can register for this extraordinary experience, visit: www.bombercamp.org
Bomber Camp™ was envisioned many years ago by Taigh Ramey, founder of the Stockton Field Aviation Museum and avid WWII collector and history buff. As originally conceived it allowed students a glimpse of what it was like to be one of our greatest generation as they trained for and prepared to be a flight or ground crew. The apex of this living history experience culminated in a flight on a vintage bomber.
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Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.
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