Guess what's coming to my town? Can't wait!!
World War II bombers flying in on Sunday
Public will have chance to tour historic aircraft as part of three-day event
By Kurt Van der Dussen
Herald-Times Staff Writer
The Brickyard 400 auto race in Indianapolis could have some competition for attention in Bloomington on Aug. 3.
That's because two historic World War II bombers will be flying in to Monroe County Airport as part of a "Wings of Freedom" nationwide tour to honor veterans of that war.
The B-24J Liberator "Dragon and His Tail" and the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress "Nine O Nine" will be flying in Sunday for a three-day stopover.
They're scheduled to fly in at 3 p.m. that day and fly out at 1 p.m. Aug. 5.
During their visit, the planes will be open for the public to tour. And anyone willing to spend $400 will get to take a 30-minute flight in one of them.
Tickets for such a flight — which are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution to the event- sponsoring Collings Foundation — can be obtained and a ride reserved by calling (978) 562-9182.
For people visiting the airport to see the 60-year-old bombers, the foundation is requesting donations of $8 for adults and $4 for children to tour the aircraft.
That includes visiting and sitting in the cockpit, climbing through the bomb bay, sitting at the various crew members' positions and getting to handle the bombers' machine guns.
Tours are 3-7 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 4; and 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Aug. 5. The time hasn't yet been set for the flight.
The visiting B-24 is the lone airworthy bomber of its class left flying. The visiting B-17 is one of only nine surviving airworthy Flying Fortresses of that lineage.
The Collings Foundation's mission is to keep the memory of World War II alive and to pay homage to its veterans and combat victims by preserving the bombers that played such a role in defeating Germany and Japan.
Rex Hinkle of Cook Aviation, which is the local sponsor for the event, said he didn't know when the event was scheduled that the planes' arrival coincides with the popular NASCAR race in Indianapolis, but that was the date he could get for the bombers to appear.
Hinkle said the bomber tour is increasingly important with each passing year.
"Estimates place the number of World War II veterans dying each day at over 1,000," he said in a news release for the "Wings of Freedom" event. "With each death, another story of courage, honor and sacrifice is lost forever. These aircraft represent that legacy of courage and valor."
For more information, call Cook Aviation at (812) 825-2392, go to
www.collingsfoundation.org on the Internet or e-mail
info@collingsfoundation.org