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Vintage planes visit Waukegan Regional Airport 7-18 to 7 20
Sandy Dickson

World War II bomber planes belonging to the non-profit, educational Collings Foundation, landed at Waukegan Regional Airport on July 18 as a part of their Wings of Freedom Tour for a Local Living History display as a part of their annual 130-city national tour over 35 states. The purpose of the tour is to not only give tribute to flight crews of these vintage planes, but to pay tribute to the crews that once flew and maintained them, as well as those servicemen who flew in them and the families whose freedom was protected by them.

B 17 Landing

No matter where these displays are in the country, World War II veterans especially show up at these events to visit with the crew and tell their own WW II stories, which they are encouraged to share with the crowd.

The planes flew from 1942 to 1945, and were famous for their ability to sustain damage and still accomplish their mission, even through sub-zero temperatures. After the war, many of them were scrapped for their raw aluminum to rebuild our
post-war nation.

The two extremely rare U.S. war planes displayed at the Waukegan Regional Airport over July 18 to 20, are the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator; both heavy bombers. There were about 12,000 B-17s made and only nine are left in operational condition.
Of the 18,000 B-17s, only one exists today that is operational.

B 17 Side Veiw

Both planes carried 12 machine guns situated around the plane, including one each in a bubble in both the top and underside of the planes.

There are also large flaps on the underside that open for
the release of bombs.

Tours aboard both planes available for $5/10 and 30-minute flights for $325 /$425, (tax deductible donations) Wednesday, Thursday July 19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Friday, July 20, 9 a.m. to noon at the Terminal building, 3580 North McAree Rd. (where McAree dead-ends.)

For reservations and information
on flight experiences, call 800 568-8924.

Copyright © 2007 Sandy Dickson. All rights reserved.