It was a dream come true for a World War II veteran getting to fly on the same plane he flew more than 70 years ago.
The B-17 is the most widely recognized and revered plane from World War II; it's mission was to defeat the Germans.
Today, 70 years later, it took on a different role.
World War II veteran Scott Smith relived his days in the Air Force during a honor flight Saturday morning. In his hay day, he would fly all across the world, fighting for Americans and protecting our freedom.
"I got to go up there look at the instruments again and all the tools on a B-17,” Smith said. “Very nice memories."
Those memories kept flowing with his colleagues at his side. With 23 missions under his belt, they say there’s no denying he's one of the best.
"They're in their 90s! As you can imagine, that's why they're called the greatest generation." Dr. Singh said. "To meet people like him, it's unbelievable. It's a privilege, absolutely."
Smith says the privilege was all his. He took a flight to Stuart from New Smyrna Beach. He says being back in the saddle was like stretching a muscle, a muscle he would stretch any week if it meant protecting our country.