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.
** No B-25 Mitchell
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)
Houston, TX (North): (Mar 15 – Mar 18) – David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport (DWH)
*UNCONFIRMED*
Houston, TX (South): (Mar 19 – Mar 21) – Ellington Field Airport (EFD)
New Braunfels, TX: (Mar 21 – Mar 23) – New Braunfels Regional Airport (BAZ)
Austin, TX: (Mar 23 – Mar 25) – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Fort Worth, TX: (Mar 26 – Mar 28) – Fort Worth Alliance Airport (AFW)Dallas, TX: (Mar 28 – Apr 1) – Love Field (DAL) – Frontiers of Flight Museum
San Angelo, TX: (Apr 2 – Apr 4) – San Angelo Regional Airport / Mathis Field (SJT)
Santa Teresa, NM: (Apr 4 – Apr 6) – Dona Ana County Int’l Jetport (DNA) – War Eagles Air Museum
Tucson / Marana, AZ: (Apr 6 – Apr 8) – Marana Regional Airport (AVQ)
Torrance, CA: (Apr 26 – Apr 29) – Zamperini Field Airport (TOA)
Camarillo, CA: (May 4 – May 6) – Camarillo Airport (CMA)
Santa Ana, CA: (May 9 – May 13) – John Wayne Airport (SNA) – Lyon Air Museum
Mountain View, CA: (May 18 – May 26) – Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ)
Livermore, CA: (May 27 – May 29) – Livermore Municipal Airport (LVK)
Ft. Collins/Loveland, CO: (Jul 13 – Jul 15) – Fort Collins-Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL)
Akron, OH: (Aug 10 – Aug 12) – Akron-Canton Regional Airport (CAK) – MAPS Air Museum
Cape May, NJ: (Aug 31 – Sep 3) – Cape May County Airport (WWD) – NAS Wildwood Museum
Burlington, VT: (Sep 13 – Sep 16) – Burlington International Airport (BTV)
Future Tour Stops More Will Be Added!
Call 978-562-9182 / 800-568-8924 for flight reservations
at any of the cities listed below!
Bookmark our Wings of Freedom Tour 2018 Schedule to make sure you see all the new stops as they are added!
Richard Mallory Allnutt's aviation passion ignited at the 1974 Farnborough Airshow. Raised in 1970s Britain, he was immersed in WWII aviation lore. Moving to Washington DC, he frequented the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum, meeting aviation legends.
After grad school, Richard worked for Lockheed-Martin but stayed devoted to aviation, volunteering at museums and honing his photography skills. In 2013, he became the founding editor of Warbirds News, now Vintage Aviation News. With around 800 articles written, he focuses on supporting grassroots aviation groups.
Richard values the connections made in the aviation community and is proud to help grow Vintage Aviation News.
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.