B-17 Flying Fortress, B-25 Mitchell To Tour Florida As First Part of Nationwide Tour

The schedule is posted for The Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour -- one of the top WWII heavy bomber barnstorming tour programs in the country. The 2005 season will be starting with a 21-city tour of Florida featuring two of the most famous bomber aircraft of World War II, the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress and North American B-25J Mitchell.

Each visit allows visitors the opportunity to explore the aircraft up close and personal and to see what each was like from the inside and out. Local veterans visit and recount their experiences flying high above enemy territory and surviving the most harrowing aerial battles of the 20th century. Though their new mission is education and remembrance, the aircraft retain their original equipment as they carried during the war and are outstanding pieces of living history.

The schedule for the Winter 2005 Wings of Freedom Florida Tour:

• New Smyrna Beach, FL
  Friday, January 14 - Sunday, January 16 New Smyrna Beach Municipal Airport (KEVB)
• St. Augustine, FL
  Monday, January 17 - Wednesday, January 19 St Augustine Airport (KSGJ)
• Brunswick, GA - Wednesday, January 19 - Friday, January 21 Malcolm McKinnon Airport (KSSI)
• Jacksonville, FL
  Friday, January 21 - Monday, January 24 Cecil Field Airport (KVQQ)
• Lake City, FL
  Monday, January 24 - Wednesday, January 26 Lake City Municipal Airport (KLCQ)
• Orlando, FL
  Wednesday, January 26 - Friday, January 28 Kissimmee Gateway Airport (KISM)
• Venice, FL
  Friday, January 28 - Monday, January 31 Venice Municipal Airport (KVNC)
• St Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
  Monday, January 31 - Wednesday, February 2 St Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (KPIE)
• Sarasota, FL
  Wednesday, February 2 - Friday, February 4 Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ)
• Punta Gorda, FL
  Friday, February 4 - Sunday, February 6 Charlotte County Airport (KPGD)
• Fort Myers, FL
  Monday, February 7 - Wednesday, February 9 Page Field Airport (KFMY)
• Marco Island, FL
  Wednesday, February 9 - Friday, February 11 Marco Island Airport (KMKY)
• Naples, FL
  Friday, February 11 - Monday, February 14 Naples Municipal Airport (KAPF)
• Marathon, FL
  Monday, February 14 - Wednesday, February 16 The Florida Keys Marathon Airport (KMTH)
• Miami, FL
  Wednesday, February 16 - Friday, February 18 Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (KTMB)
• Fort Lauderdale, FL
  Friday, February 18 - Tuesday, February 22 Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE)
• West Palm Beach, FL
  Tuesday, February 22 - Thursday, February 24 Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI)
• Boca Raton, FL
  Thursday, February 24 - Monday, February 28 Boca Raton Airport (KBCT)
• Sebring, FL
  Monday, February 28 - Wednesday, March 2 Sebring Regional Airport (KSEF)
• Leesburg, FL
  Wednesday, March 2 - Friday, March 4 Leesburg Regional Airport (KLEE)
• Melbourne, FL
  Friday, March 4 - Sunday, March 6 Melbourne International Airport (KMLB)

  

Walkthrough tours are available at each location for a donation of $7 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Flight experiences aboard the B-17 are a tax-deductible donation of $400 per person. Flight experiences aboard the B-25 Mitchell are a tax-deductible donation of $375 per person for the forward fuselage seats and $300 for the aft fuselage seats.

FMI: www.collingsfoundation.org