SEATTLE — The steady rumble of World War II airplanes will resonate at The Museum of Flight June 21-23, 2019, while a group of five rare and historic aircraft is based there for public rides and tours.
Ground tours and flights will be available in three different bombers: The four-engine B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24J Liberator, and the twin-engine B-25 Mitchell.
For the first time at the museum there will also be two World War II fighters for rides. Hands-on flights will be offered in a dual-control TP-51D Mustang and a Curtiss TP-40N Warhawk.
All of the planes are on the national “Wings of Freedom Tour” sponsored by the non-profit Collings Foundation, and even casual visitors to the museum will be able to experience sights and sounds connecting them to aviation of 70 years ago.
Ground tours are free for World War II veterans.
The aircraft will be stationed at the museum’s tarmac on Boeing Field. Tours and rides are available Friday, June 21, from 2 to 5 p.m., and June 22-23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Flights are available on each airplane. For information on flight reservations and costs, call 978-562-9182 or go to CollingsFoundation.org.
Rare Aircraft
The Collings Foundation’s two-seat, dual-control Mustang is one of three original TF-51Ds remaining in the world. The fully restored fighter is painted in its original markings as a West Virginia Air Guard, 167th Fighter Squadron P-51 called “Toulouse Nuts.”
The P-40 Warhawk is also a rare, two-seat, dual-control version of the single-seat fighter.
The foundation’s B-24J is the only one of its kind still flying. The Boeing B-17 is one of only about a dozen still flying.