The Collings Foundation has just announced the schedule for their 2018 barnstorming tour, and we thought our readers would be interested to see where the aircraft will be traveling to. While it is just a preliminary schedule, this is what they have published so far…
Our 29th season of the Wings of Freedom Tour has kicked off in Florida and we are now underway! The B-17, B-24, and TF-51D are currently heading up the West Coast of Florida before a brief maintenance stop and then heading up to North Florida and heading westbound on the National Tour. The B-25 Mitchell will join the tour after the maintenance break. There are a lot of visits on our 110-city tour that are left to confirm, but here are the visits that are currently scheduled. Click on the link for each location for dates and times.
This is Your Year to FLY! At all of our visits, you can take to the skies aboard the B-17, B-24, B-25 or TF-51D! The B-17 and B-24 are available for 30-minute flights for a tax-deductible donation of $450 per per person, the B-25 is available for 25-minute flights for a donation of $400 per person as well!
Take Control with Flight Training on the P-51! If you haven’t had an opportunity to experience flight training on the TF-51D Mustang, this is your year to experience the ultimate living history immersion! Your experienced flight instructor will give you the experience of a lifetime, taking the controls of the famous Mustang from the second full cockpit in the back. If you have flown on our P-51C “Betty Jane”, the experience of flying the TF-51D “Toulouse Nuts” is even more incredible with the beautiful 360-degree view from the bubble canopy! An hour of flight training is available for a tax-deductible donation of $3200 and a half-hour of flight training is a donation of $2200.
Venice, FL: (Feb 8 – Feb 11) – Venice Municipal Airport (VNC) ** No B-25 Mitchell
Maintenance Break: (Feb 12 – Feb 22) No Tours or Flights During This Time Jacksonville, FL: (Feb 23 – Feb 25) – Cecil Field (VQQ) Tallahassee, FL: (Feb 26 – Feb 28) – Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) *UNCONFIRMED* Panama City, FL: (Feb 28 – Mar 2) – Northwest Florida Beaches Int’l Airport (ECP) Destin, FL: (Mar 2 – Mar 4) – Destin Executive Airport (DTS) Hattiesburg, MS: (Mar 4 – Mar 7) – Hattiesburg Bobby L Chain Municipal Airport (HBG) Natchitoches, LA: (Mar 7 – Mar 9) – Natchitoches Regional Airport (IER) Tyler, TX: (Mar 9 – Mar 11) – Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR) Waco, TX: (Mar 12 – Mar 15) – Waco Regional Airport (ACT)
I was reading in the AAA magazine that you will be visiting Phoenix, however, I couldn’t find the airport that you will be stopping at. Would it be Deer Valley or Glendale by chance? If so, which one?
Hi Bruce…. thanks for writing in. You should check the main tour schedule page HERE but currently, it looks like they will be at Phoenix/Goodyear Airport (GYR) on April 9th. Best of luck!
would like to fly in b17. i wiegh 420lbs. is it possible?
Same Question: AAA Magazine lists Lewiston, ID 6/29-7/1, yet I cannot find it on any of your pages/website
Many thanks for writing in Nancy… We only publish here what we get from the Collings Foundation. As to the date/location you mentioned, you should check directly with the Collings Foundation for any updates, or to confirm their schedule, as it will always be subject to change, not to mention aircraft maintenance and the whims of mother nature. I hope that you are able to get what you need though, and appreciate you reading our articles.