Aviation - Airfield & B-29 Memorial Plaza

Visitors to the Great Bend City airport are sometimes puzzled by the size of its runways. Eight thousand foot runways are not common in towns the size of Great Bend. The fascinating truth is that Great Bend was a B-29 bomber training base during World War II. Crews from all over the United States were trained to fly the huge Superfortress bombers right here in Great Bend.

The airfield is the site of a memorial dedicated to the men and women who manufactured, flew, and provided support for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The City of Great Bend has donated land at the former Great Bend Army Airfield and an artist and an architect designed a dramatic and symbolic memorial for the site. Intersecting arches representing the emblem of the Global 20th Air Force with a centerpiece of a B-29 cast in stainless steel. The memorial is lit and visible for two miles. Bomber crews, groups, and individuals are honored with bronze plaques and bricks. The intent of the memorial is to remind tomorrow's generations of the sacrifices made to keep the United States secure.

For more information contact the Great Bend Convention & Visitors Bureau.