Veterans Joe Lambert, Earl Scott, Curtis Layton and Bob Leach, left to right, will take flight this weekend in a 1940s Boeing Stearman plane. They are participating in the Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation’s β€œdream flight” program.

 Johanna Willett / Arizona Daily Star

More than 20 Tucson seniors β€” most of them veterans β€” will take to the skies this weekend through a β€œdream flight” program.

The Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit based out of Carson City Nevada, takes seniors living in long-term care facilities from around the country for a ride in a 1940s Boeing Stearman.

Here, flights take off today at Ryan Airfield, 9698 W. Ajo Highway, and Sunday at Marana Regional Airport, 11700 W. Avra Valley Road.

Darryl Fisher, president, founder and a pilot for the foundation, describes the open-cockpit flight as β€œmagic.”

β€œThey go in and they come out different,” says Fisher, who has given more than 200 dream flights. β€œ I don’t know how else to explain it. Something happens. I had a ground crew describe it as they go in and come out 30 years younger.”

Four World War II veterans living at the retirement community Desert Springs, 30 W. Lambert Lane, will be among those spreading their wings Sunday.

Curtis Layton, Bob Leach and Earl Scott are in their 90s. Joe Lambert is 100.

Joni Chandler, the activities coordinator for the retirement community, nominated them.

Earlier this week, the four men sat down to share stories β€” many of them familiar β€” as they often do at mealtimes.

β€œThe maharajah was a nice gentleman; he spoke the best English,” says Lambert, who flew between India, Burma and China in a C-46 transport aircraft as a flight officer in the U.S. Army Air Force. Lambert, who served for three years, tells the story of a chance encounter in the Himalayas that garnered an invite to the maharajah’s summer palace.

β€œYou’re a celebrity!” says Leach, joking.

As a master sergeant in the same branch, Leach was based on the Mediterranean island Corsica.

β€œWe did three-and-a-half hour missions,” he says. β€œWe would drop off bombs and run like hell for home,” During the war, Leach served as a radio operator, gunner and toggleer, dropping bombs from B-25 Mitchell bombers. He served about 20 years.

Layton, a commander and Navy pilot, was stationed in the South Pacific. He remembers living in the jungles.

β€œWe did air and sea rescue missions and were also doing bombing,” says Layton. β€œWe flew the sea planes, PBYs.”

Scott, a tactical reconnaissance pilot for the Army Air Force, flew a P-51 Mustang beyond the front lines in search of information.

β€œWe flew low and slow and he flew high and fast,” jokes Layton, who continued to serve in the reserves until the 1970s.

Scott, a first lieutenant, flew in the air offensive in Europe over hotspots such as Normandy and Rhineland.

β€œI had to go past the front lines to gather what’s going to happen tomorrow,” said Scott, who served three years.

He did most missions alone, doing the jobs of navigator, radio operator, gunner and photographer.

And though the Sunday flight has sparked some laughs and memories, it was war, Scott reminds the group.

β€œI was exposed to so much gunfire, I can’t explain why I never got touched,” he says. β€œJust lucky.”

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Contact reporter Johanna Willett at jwillett@tucson.com or 573-4357. On Twitter: @JohannaWillett