This sunday

Doc Raider · #1 (**permalink**) July 30th, 2003, 12:58 AM

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

Erich · #2 (**permalink**) July 30th, 2003, 01:38 AM

and ? your going to go see them and take the tours correct ? I've done it on at least 6 occassions and have always enjoyed walking through these two old ladies of the air. It is something you will not soon forget.

Go for it Doc !

der Altenwolf

Panzerknacker · #3 (**permalink**) July 30th, 2003, 11:28 AM

Should be an awesome experience Doc.
Can you take photographs or is that prohibitied? If it is OK..make sure you take plenty and post them here to make us all jealous!!!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

David Barton (DB) Mathis · #4 (**permalink**) July 30th, 2003, 02:55 PM

Have fun Doc! And do take plenty of pics! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Doc Raider · #5 (**permalink**) July 30th, 2003, 07:02 PM

Oh I will!! This should be a real blast! I don't think I can afford the ride right now, even though my pop offered to pay half. Darn school! But I'll definetly tour them!!!

[ 30. July 2003, 02:04 PM: Message edited by: Doc Raider ]

C.Evans · #6 (**permalink**) July 30th, 2003, 07:29 PM

Hope you do and I hope you can get plenty of pictures as well. I'd love to see some from the pilots seat--the gun turrets and from the sides as well.

Erich · #7 (**permalink**) July 30th, 2003, 07:33 PM

Doc if they let you sit in the cockpit, sink it in because usually they do not let the public up into this area as the a/c are still flyable and they don't need any little hands touching anything. many times the tail turret on the B-17 is crammed with cargo so again do not be dissappointed if you don't get to lay down and get the "real" feel of that position.
Geez just thinking about this and pulling out my pics I am going down memory lane. man my kids were little then

and yes bring the video corder if at all possible with you and take a 360 views of each a/c. iamgine touching running equipment from 60 years ago ! yeah

~E

Greg A · #8 (**permalink**) July 31st, 2003, 01:42 AM

Go for it Doc!! I did it a couple weeks ago for both planes and it is a blast. You can't go into the tail and nose of the B-17 and cockpit of the B-24 but everything else is open.

Report back to us how things go.

Greg

Doc Raider · #9 (**permalink**) August 5th, 2003, 10:31 PM

Well, I had quite a time. I got to see them land first - they landed 10 minutes apart so you could take each landing in. The best though, was that SOMEHOW, I ended up in line for the b-24 directly behind someone who'd piloted a b-24!!! I didn't ask too many questions because he was having so much fun giving me a guided tour. He did fly them out of italy, but I didn't pry any unit info out of him.

I tried to take lots of pictures, but I didn't finish the roll, so who knows when I'll get them developed.

Erich · #10 (**permalink**) August 5th, 2003, 10:50 PM

Doc, congrats ! bet you enjoyed that characteristic engine noise of both Allied heavies ? There is nothing like it in the world.
Too bad they made only one Oregon stop and I should of jumped on it as it would of been an hours drive east. Maybe next year.

By the way the chap that flew out of Italy was from the 15th US air force, and was in one of the 15 B-24 groups in this notable AF.

good job !

~E

Doc Raider · #11 (**permalink**) August 5th, 2003, 11:24 PM

They were taking off to leave today - I would have loved to see, or even more so HEAR, those beauties take off. Unfortunately, I was in class.

Greg A · #12 (**permalink**) August 6th, 2003, 01:24 PM

Congrats Doc,

It is truly a great thing to see those old planes and speak to the former crewmembers.

From your perspective how much leg room do those things have? Not very much.

Greg