Historic B-24 Liberator Flies Over ‘JIMMY’ World Premiere in Tribute to WWII Veteran Jimmy Stewart

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—More than 80 years after Jimmy Stewart flew B-24 Liberator bombers over Nazi-occupied Europe, one of the last surviving airworthy examples of the World War II aircraft roared over downtown Fort Worth Wednesday evening, Nov. 4, during the world premiere of “JIMMY,” a new film examining the Hollywood legend’s military service.

The historic bomber, known as “Diamond Lil,” flew above the red carpet outside the AMC Palace 9 theater in Sundance Square, where members of the film’s cast, military veterans and Stewart’s family gathered for the premiere.

Military.com attended the event and spoke with a representative of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF), a nonprofit organization that maintains and operates the aircraft, about the extraordinary effort required to keep an 85-year-old bomber flying.

“There’s no more manufacturer. We literally have to make everything that might have to be replaced on the aircraft,” the representative told Military.com. “There’s just hundreds, thousands of hours that go into loving on the airplane, maintaining it.”

The flyover was part of a larger military tribute honoring Stewart’s World War II service. The evening also featured a military color guard, a performance of the national anthem and a proclamation from Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker officially declaring Nov. 4 “Jimmy Stewart Day.”

The film’s release also comes from Regal Cinemas, which announced that active-duty service members and veterans can attend traditional 2D screenings, including “JIMMY,” free on Wednesday, Nov. 11, with valid military identification.

The B-24 Liberator That Flew Over Fort Worth

Diamond Lil is among the oldest surviving examples of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, an American heavy bomber that became one of World War II’s most widely produced military aircraft.

Completed in 1941, the aircraft was originally intended for the British Royal Air Force. However, a landing accident in its early years led to extensive modifications. It later served as a transport and development aircraft rather than flying combat missions overseas.

After the war, Diamond Lil continued flying in civilian service, eventually becoming a corporate aircraft for Mexico’s state-owned petroleum company, Pemex.

The Commemorative Air Force acquired the bomber in 1968 and later restored its military appearance, preserving an aircraft whose history spans more than eight decades.

Today, Diamond Lil remains an exceedingly rare flying B-24.

During the Fort Worth premiere, the bomber was flown by volunteer pilots Jeremy Lashbrook, a U.S. Army veteran, and Brian Fennellan, an Air Force veteran who previously flew B-52 bombers, according to the CAF representative.

“All of our aircraft are maintained and flown by volunteers,” he said.

Those volunteers face challenges familiar to anyone who has maintained aging military aircraft. However, the Liberator presents an unusually difficult problem: Replacement parts generally cannot be ordered from a manufacturer.

Instead, the organization frequently manufactures its own components or restores original World War II equipment.

“We take the parts, and we actually scan them, and we actually use modern materials,” the representative explained. “We’re able actually to reproduce parts that aren’t made anymore.”

Occasionally, the solution comes from an unexpected source.

“We’ll have somebody call up in the back of their barn. All of a sudden, they found this cache of World War II parts,” he said. “And we actually recondition them, rebuild them, and use them today to keep the aircraft flying.”

Modern machining, welding techniques and 3D scanning have made that work increasingly possible, although the cost remains substantial.

The representative estimated that operating the four-engine bomber costs approximately $10,000 per flight hour, with the aircraft typically attending 15 to 20 air shows annually and accumulating roughly 30 to 50 flight hours.

“It’s got four thirsty engines,” he said.

Stewart’s connection to the B-24 Liberator began long before his celebrated performance in the 1946 Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

Already an Academy Award-winning actor, Stewart enlisted in the Army Air Corps in March 1941, months before the United States entered World War II.

An experienced civilian pilot, Stewart initially served as a flight instructor before deploying to England in 1943 with the Eighth Air Force’s 445th Bombardment Group.

Flying B-24 Liberators, he participated in bombing missions against German military targets, eventually completing 20 combat missions and assuming increasingly significant leadership responsibilities.

The missions were dangerous, with bomber crews facing German fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft fire, and freezing temperatures during flights that could last for hours.

Stewart received several military decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, and finished the war as a colonel.

He continued serving in the Air Force Reserve following the war, eventually retiring as a brigadier general in 1968.

His experiences overseas became central to “JIMMY,” directed by Aaron Burns and starring KJ Apa as Stewart. The film examines the actor’s transition from Hollywood celebrity to combat pilot and his eventual return to filmmaking.

Stewart’s daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, previously told Military.com about her father’s wartime experiences, including the flight logs he kept and the emotional toll of losing fellow airmen.

Preserving History One Flight at a Time

For the Commemorative Air Force, keeping Diamond Lil operational lets audiences experience something photographs and static museum exhibits cannot fully capture.

The aircraft’s massive wingspan, four radial engines and distinctive twin-tail design offer a glimpse of the machinery Stewart and thousands of other American airmen relied upon during World War II.

Flying one, however, requires considerably more physical effort than most modern aircraft.

“It’s very heavy on the flight controls, so you’ve got to really put a lot of muscle into it,” the representative said. “I’d say it’s kind of like an 18-wheeler with about nine flat tires, and that’s about what it flies like.”

The organization’s commitment to preserving the bomber extends beyond its mechanical condition.

For those who maintain Diamond Lil, the aircraft represents the service members who flew Liberators into combat, including those who never returned home.

“We fly the aircraft because we believe it’s the absolute best way to tell the story and preserve our history,” the representative said.

That mission was especially meaningful during a premiere dedicated to Stewart, whose military service remains a defining chapter of his life.

“When you think of Jimmy, and you think of so many of the World War II veterans who gave so much for our country, they gave a blank check, and they were willing to give everything,” he said.

The premiere, which opened the 20th Lone Star Film Festival, also included a proclamation presented to Stewart’s daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, recognizing his longstanding connection to Fort Worth.

Veterans Can Watch ‘JIMMY’ Free at Regal on Veterans Day

As “JIMMY” reaches theaters ahead of Veterans Day, Regal Cinemas is offering military personnel and veterans an opportunity to see Stewart’s story on the big screen at no cost.

In a Nov. 9 announcement, Regal said active-duty and former U.S. service members presenting valid military identification at participating theater locations can receive free admission to any traditional 2D movie showing Wednesday, Nov. 11.

The promotion covers any showtime that day, excluding premium formats, and specifically includes “JIMMY,” distributed by Fathom Entertainment and Burns & Co. Entertainment.

Regal is also partnering with the Gary Sinise Foundation, pledging to donate $1 for every popcorn sold on Veterans Day.

The foundation, established in 2011 by actor and veterans advocate Gary Sinise, provides support to military families, wounded veterans, families of fallen service members and first responders.

“Celebrating Veterans Day at Regal lets us show our appreciation to the men and women in uniform who live in the communities where we operate,” Vikki Neil, Regal’s head of marketing, said in a statement. “These small gestures of thanks express our gratitude for their continued service to the country.”

For audiences attending “JIMMY,” the promotion offers a chance to revisit the military career of an actor whose own wartime experience helped shape one of Hollywood’s most enduring films.

Diamond Lil’s appearance at the Fort Worth premiere offered another connection to that history, bringing the sound and spectacle of a World War II bomber back to the skies more than eight decades after Stewart flew into combat.

The CAF representative hopes that opportunity continues for generations to come.

“I hope my great-grandchildren are taken to the skies in this aircraft someday,” he said. “We fly aircraft, and we keep them flying so that we can keep talking about the story of Jimmy for years to come.”