Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour 2008

June 6-9, 2008 the Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour came to Buchannan Field at Concord, California. I posted a couple of my favorite pictures in a photo album, (will add more later) the other link is to the rest of the photos. They had the B-17G-Nine O Nine, B-24J-Witchcraft, B-25J-Tondelayo and the TP-51C-Betty Jane. The display was great. All of the photos are a combination of last years and this years display. The TP-51C was a new addition this year. Boy, I tell you, that thing sounded so sweet. I hope everyone enjoys the photos. I've also included a little rant I went on when I posted everything on another website I belong to. It was two observations I made during the air show.

June 9, 2008
I need to go on a little bit of a rant here. So please bear with me. At the 2008 Wings of Freedom Tour yesterday, I saw two incidents that really stood out. One reminded me of why I still believe in the kindness of strangers and keep my faith in humanity and the other reminded me of how one person 's actions can affect others. I'll start with the later first.
Towards the end of us taking pictures and walking around for about four or five hours , we were under the starboard wing of the B-24J Witchcraft when I notice an older gentleman was talking to a group of people, he was talking about a mission he was on (he was a B-24 pilot) , I came in too late to catch where. He was talking about trying to keep the aircraft level, stop loosing altitude and was having a hard time. They had two engines left and most of the control surfaces were inoperable or gone. Their navigator was dead and the co-pilot was trying to figure where they were and were trying to get them back to the channel. His voice was very soft so with all of the background noise you really had to lean in and strain to hear him talk. There was about four or five people listening except for one person who kept interrupting and asking questions. This person was trying to find out did you shoot anybody down, see any Messerschmidts? Just an endless stream of inane questions (this person was an adult). The gentleman was starting to get a little flustered, starting to loose track of where he was. One person asked the guy to please wait until the gentleman was done telling his story to ask questions., but he just kept on. About the time we started to leave, a family member interrupted with a sharp look to the rude person and said that her grandfather needed to rest now. I could not help but think, how this may affect this aging warrior. If he would even bother trying to tell his story again or if his family would become over protective and not let him if he starts. He did not get to finish his story, by this time his hands were starting to shake. I'm sure it was hard enough for him to retell his little piece of history without this person's rudeness. Hopefully, this will not deter him and another young generation will get to hear his story.
The second is of a wounded warrior. I noticed at the B-17G Nine-O-Nine two men were lifting an older man up into the aircraft. Earlier we had been standing next to a gentleman in a wheelchair on the other side of the aircraft while taking picture of the TP-51C. I was listening to him, his wife and couple of others talking about the war. They were of the same age. I had over heard that both of his lower legs were prosthetic from above the knee, having been blown off from a direct flak hit to the starboard side of the nose. They lost the bombadier through the gaping hole left. He was saying that the only thing that saved his life was that they were so high that the temperature was well below freezing and the turret gunner's quick actions. He was a B-17 co-pilot and they were over Northern Italy. So I walked over to where they were lifting him into the A/C and inquired as to what was happening. (I'm very nosy at times). His wife told me that he wanted to look out of the cockpit one more time, but there was no way he was going to be able to climb up in there. She said the two young men behind them volunteered to lift him up in there if he wanted them to. They were able to get him in there, how I don't know. If you've been in B-17, there is not a lot of room between the flight deck, which is above the entry into the nose and the upper turret platform and bomb bay entry. They were able to lift him up enough to see into the cockpit, but he couldn't see out of the windows. When they were bringing him out of the A/C he had tears on his cheeks. Everybody clapped and one person said it was worth the time it took to get him in and out. All told, took about thirty minutes. It was still early enough that the line was not very long and no one complained. He thanked the two young men and told them it brought back some memories.
Two very similar events. Two very different actions on the parts of others and two very different outcomes. I'm really not sure if I am trying to make a point. I don't think I am. Just needed to get it off my chest so to speak. So thank you for listening. End of rant.

I have a tendency to become rather annoyed when people start bothering or showing disrespect to our older veterans. I have even been known to become very vocal about it at times. Anyway, please enjoy the photos.

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Take care,
SaltyShellback

 

SaltyShellback,

Thank you for sharing this story and photos. I agree, I too would have been annoyed had I seen that guy continually interrupting the veteran trying to tell his story. But it was inspiring to hear of the two gents helping the old man to see the cockpit one more time. I think I would have broken down in tears seeing the old man with tears on his cheeks upon leaving the aircraft. I'm sure it brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad for him.

Again, thank you for sharing.

 

cd13-You are very welcome. Yes, it was a rather emotional moment when the aging warrior came out of the B-17. For just a brief moment he looked like he twenty-two again and in a flash it was gone. I really wish I had thought to capture the moment, but alas. The two young men, who could not have been older than nineteen, treated him with the respect due a warrior of that era. I am glad you enjoyed the pictures. Thank you for the salute.

Take care,
Salty

 

Salty,

Thanks for sharing the photos and the touching story about the B-17 pilot's return visit to the cockpit and the unsettling story of the the rude person to the B-24 pilot. It's incredible how often people believe they are the only ones there and insist on being an attention hoe!

Best Regards,
JR

 

cool could you please send me a pm with more details

 

More details of what? The pictures or the little rant I went on. That was just some personal observations I made on two events I witnessed at an airshow. There really are no other details.

Take care,
Salty