Witnesses say debris is strewn along Highway 67 in Texas, where fire officials say the large fire has broken out. Both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations, with the latter leading and providing updates, officials said. The Wings Over Dallas event is described as the nation’s premiere World War II event. Dallas Fire-Rescue said it has not yet confirmed how many people were on the plane or if anyone survived. It was also unclear if anyone was injured by the falling debris. In a statement after the crash, Mayor Eric Johnson called the crash a “terrible tragedy.” “The videos are heartbreaking,” he tweeted. “Say a prayer for the souls who ascended to heaven to entertain and educate our families today.” The B-17, a four-engine bomber, played an important role in winning the air war against Germany in World War II. With a reputation for manpower, it became one of the highest-produced bombers of all time. The P-63 Kingcobra was a fighter aircraft developed during the same war by Bell Aircraft but used in combat only by the Soviet Air Force. One of the last major crashes of a B-17 was on October 2, 2019, when seven people died in a crash at an airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
