Wings of Freedom vintage aircraft return
PENN TWP — The Wings of Freedom Tour will be soaring into unknown territory when the vintage World War II aircraft arrive Thursday at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport.
Ike Kelly, the airport manager said, “This is the third consecutive year we've had Wings of Freedom here. We had about 3,000 people here last year.
“But this is the first time they've been here over a weekend. They arrive Thursday and will be here Thursday afternoon, Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” said Kelly.
“We expect that will increase crowds,” said Kelly. “We had been on a waiting list for the weekend date. Somebody canceled and we got it.”
“We had a hole open in our schedule and Butler allowed us to come here on really short notice,” said Hunter Chaney, director of marketing for the Collings Foundation, which runs the Wings of Freedom flights, as well as a museum in Stow, Mass.
The tour features a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress “Nine O Nine” heavy bomber, Consolidated B-24 Liberator “Witchcraft” heavy bomber, North American B-25 Mitchell “Tondelayo” midrange bomber and the P-51 Mustang fighter “Toulouse Nuts.” They will fly into the airport for a visit from Thursday to Aug. 18.
This is an opportunity to visit, explore, and learn more about these rare treasures of aviation history.
The B-17 is one of only eight in flying condition in the United States, the B-24 is the sole remaining example of its type flying in the world.
The B-25 is best known for being used in the daring Doolittle raid. The P-51 Mustang was awarded grand champion status for restoration at EAA's Oshkosh AirVenture.
For a fee, visitors can explore the aircraft inside and out.
Visitors may also experience an opportunity to actually take a 30-minute flight aboard these rare aircraft. For reservations and information on flight experiences call 800-568-8924.
The Wings of Freedom Tour travels the nation as a flying tribute to the flight crews who flew them, the ground crews who maintained them, the workers who built them, the soldiers, sailors and airmen they helped protect; and the citizens and families that share the freedom that they helped preserve.
The B-17, B-25 and B-24 were the backbone of the American effort during the war from 1942 to 1945 and were famous for their ability to sustain damage and still accomplish the mission. Despite the risks of anti-aircraft fire, attacking enemy fighters, and the harrowing environment of sub-zero temperatures, many B-17s and B-24s safely brought their crews home. The P-51 Mustang was affectionately known as the bombers “Little Friend” — saving countless crews from attacking Axis fighters.
After the war, many aircraft were scrapped for their raw aluminum to rebuild a nation in post-war prosperity.
The rarity of these aircraft is what makes them such a compelling attraction, said Kelly.
“Their visit promotes the airport and the airport's location,” said Kelly. “It exposes us to people who wouldn't ordinarily come up here.
“Families come out here. They want their children to see these aircraft and see the history,” he added.
The Collings Foundation's Chaney said, “Butler has always been a wonderful stay for us, and we are expecting a great time.”
“There's always been a great number of World War II veterans coming to see these planes when we come to Butler,” Chaney added. “That's getting rare but they always turn out in Butler.”
WHAT: Wings of Freedom Tour interactive historical display of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber, Consolidated B-24 heavy bomber, North American B-25 midrange bomber and the P-51 Mustang fighterWHEN: Tour arrives at the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport, 473 Airport Road, Penn Township, at 2 p.m. Thursday and will be on display until the tour departs at 5 p.m. Aug. 19.INFORMATION: Hours of ground tours and display are: 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 18 and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug 19.Flights can also be purchased by visiting the Collings Foundation website, www.cfdn.org, for pricing and more information.
