Leonard "Len" Rogers smiled as he looked out the window as the B-17 bomber glided over northwest Phoenix. 
   
The World War II veteran stood in the waist gunner, the middle section of the plane, and tightly gripped the machine gun. It’s the first time the Youngtown resident rode in this part of the aircraft.
    "I was a tail gunner, so I’m not used to sitting up this close," he said. "It feels like home up here all over again."
    Rogers took a short trip arranged by the Daily News-Sun Monday on the "Liberty Belle," a newly restored World War II bomber at Deer Valley Air- port in Phoenix.
    The plane was built toward the end of the war and never saw combat. It’s painted in colors and nose art of the original B-17 which flew countless missions with the 390th bomber group of the 8th U.S. Army Air Corps.
    Scott Maher, spokesman of the Liberty Foundation, said the organization spent 15 years and $4 million to renovate the airplane. The "Flying Fortress" tours across the country to more than 50 cities
    It’s just one of 14 B-17 bombers left. The foundation will have paid rides from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in half-hour increments for visitors this weekend. Flights may be arranged by calling 918-340-0243.
    "We did it as a tribute to our veterans and those who have sacrificed so much for our nation," he said.
    "Liberty Belle" weighs about 44,000 pounds, Maher said, 10,000 less than the original bombers in the war and hold 250 gallons of gas.
    As the bomber moved across the sky, Rogers walked through the plane and recalled some of his memories as a tailgunner in 1944.
    "In a way, I feel frozen in time a little bit because it’s almost like yesterday, even though it was 60 years ago," he said.
    Rogers pointed at the tail of the B-17, where he often kept the Germans at bay.
    "I would look through my viewfinder and aim," he said. "There were a lot of German fighters that would come out of nowhere."
    The Baptist Village resident then pointed at the bombardier pit and ex plained how one of the men parachuted out of the B-17 when they were shot down.
    "He hit his head trying to get out and was decapitated," he said.
    Throughout Monday’s ride, Roger shared one war story after another, many of which are shared on a Web site developed by his nephew at http://emc-homes. com/len/index.html.
    "This brings back so many memories that I could really write a book," he said.
    He remembered when his crew had to parachute out of their plane after German fighters shot it down in Germany. He said he landed in a cow pasture and two Frenchmen hid him in the woods from the opposition.
    Weeks later, Rogers and two crew members hid in different homes until they were flown back to Lon don. They finally bought a boat and sailed back to their camp.
    Rogers hasn’t flown on a B-17 since the war. When he rode on the "Liberty Belle," he quickly reminded himself why he loved the planes so much.
    "Aerodynamically, it was one of the best planes that you could ever have," he said. "We all jumped out and the plane would land on a farm."
    Rogers has a piece of one of his parachutes from a jump over German-occupied France.
    LeMerle Rogers, his wife, said she’s happy her husband had another chance to fly on the bomber again.
    "I’m so proud," she said. "It’s sentimental because he might never be able to do this again."
    Mitchell Vantrease may be reached at 876-2526 or e-mail mvantrease@aztrib. com.