April 23--The Wings of Freedom Tour lands in Yuma this week, bringing a World War II vintage Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Consolidated B-24 Liberator and North American P-51 Mustang to Yuma International Airport.
The tour will be open to the public Monday through Wednesday.
The airplanes are currently on a 110-city tour of the nation.
The Wings of Freedom Tour will be on display at Million Air Yuma, 3681 S. Burch Way.
The B-17 is one of only 10 in flying condition in the United States. The B-24J and Full Dual Control P-51C Mustang are the sole remaining examples of their type flying in the world.
Visitors are invited to explore the aircraft inside and out -- $12 for adults and $6 for children under 12 is requested for access to up-close viewing and tours through the inside of the aircraft. WWII veterans can tour through the aircraft at no cost. Discounted rates are available for school groups.
Visitors may also experience the opportunity to actually take a 30-minute flight aboard these rare aircraft. For more information on flight experiences, call 1-800-568-8924.
The aircraft will arrive at Yuma International Airport at noon Monday and depart at noon Wednesday.
Hours of ground tours and display are noon through 5 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. Tuesday, and 9 a.m. through noon Wednesday.
The organization behind the tour, The Collings Foundation, is a 501c3 nonprofit educational foundation devoted to organizing "living history" events that allow people to learn more about their heritage and history through direct participation. The nationwide Wings of Freedom Tour is in its 23rd year and visits more than 35 states annually. Since its start, tens of millions of people have seen the B-17, B-24 and P-51 display at locations everywhere. For more information, go to www.CollingsFoundation.org.
Copyright 2012 - The Sun, Yuma, Ariz.
