Tulsa Employees Celebrate American Airlines' 90th Birthday

A group of Tulsa American Airlines maintenance base workers helped Jim Gentry celebrate the airline's 90th birthday on Friday.  

Gentry, a Boeing 737 maintenance supervisor, oversees what he calls "his baby" at the base, a 1930s era DC-3 American airliner. "Flagship Detroit" was purchased in 2004 and is maintained by volunteers in Hanger 2 at the base.  

Gentry, who wore a replica 1940s mechanic's uniform to Friday's event, says volunteers spend a lot of time maintaining the plane.

He calls it a labor of love, as they work to make "Flagship Detroit" ready for airshows in the months ahead. The plane flew for the airline from 1937 to 1947. 

American employees across the U.S. celebrated the airline's 90th birthday Friday.