Wings of Freedom

P-51 Mustang

Recently, my Dad and I took a trip to our regional airport in Weyers Cave, VA and toured the Wings of Freedom exhibit of four vintage WWII airplanes. It was a picture perfect day for the event and the airplanes were amazing. This particular edition of this blog will be short on text and length....yay!

I will however, post some neat photos of the exterior and interior of two of the airplanes and provide links to each planes' history & specs.  

But before we begin, here's a  link to the Collings Foundation which puts on this show and exhibit around the country.  If they ever come to your town, be sure to go.  It'll be worth it!

  Link:  Collings Foundation Web Page

Aircraft featured in exhibit

B-24J Liberator

Wikipedia link: B-24J Liberator History and Specs

Dad in front of B-24 J Libertor

Notice a gunnery position at the front of  the plane.  Cockpit was behind the front gunnery.  The bubble in the center behind the cockpit  is also a point in which a person stood and fired guns Guns fired from the side of the aircraft Jump seats and the cockpit

Rear gunnery position Rear of plane Very cozy and cramped.  Had to be very uncomfortable for the men on board.

B-17 Flying Fortress

Wikipedia link:  B-17 History and Specs

Dad by the Flying Fortress

A monster of a plane with a 103' wingspan

B-17                      I loved the graphics on these planes    The cockpit Front of B-17

Rear of plane Gunnery position.  Mike's Uncle George was a gunnery in WWII on a B-17 One of the plane's 6 propellers

Even though the B-17 is a much larger plane, it was still very cozy and tight inside.  I couldn't even stand up to full height.  You definitely cannot suffer from claustrophobia in these things.

B-25 Mitchell

The B-25 Mitchell gained fame in 1942 when a fleet of 16 B-25Bs attacked Japan four months after Pearl Harbor.   This was known as the Doolittle Raid, led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle.

Wikipedia link:  B-25 Mitchell History and Specs

We weren't able to take a peek inside the B-25 as it was the one plane being used for passenger flights.  I did however shoot the following video of it starting up and taking off.  

P-51 Mustang

Wikipedia link:  P-51 Mustang History and Specs

We weren't able to see this plane up close, but Dad said it was one of his favorites.  A very fast little plane.  

Hope you have enjoyed this little bit of history into WWII aviation.  I know we did.

Until my next adventure......Happy Travels
Melody