Rio Grande, NJ — Anyone even mildly interested in WWII aircraft have seen or heard of the Collings Foundation’s aircraft. And even you have seen them it’s worth your time to have a second or even third look.
If you live anywhere South Jersey, you’ll have another chance this weekend (September 1 – 4, 2017) at the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum to visit them again. The museum is located at the Cape May Airport, located at the, 500 Forrestal Rd, Rio Grande, NJ. The foundation’s aircraft are scheduled to arrive on Friday around 2:00pm.
Note only will visitors be allowed to tour the foundation’s bombers, but rides will also be available in several of their amazing aircraft. Also on display will be the NASW’s 26 aircraft collection.
The foundation’s B-24 is one of only two flying B-24s left in the world. It’s an amazing site to see this lumbering aircraft take to the sky more than 70 years after she was first built. One can only image what the sites and and sounds were like when these aircraft took to the sky in in bombing raids over Europe and the South Pacific.
Onboard the Collings Foundation’s B-24 over Cape May in 2015
The foundation’s B-17G “Nine-O-Nine” is painted to represent an aircraft from the 323rd Bomb Squadron, 91st Bomb Group. The original “Nine-O-Nine” completed 140 combat missions during World War II, believed to be the Eighth Air Force record for most missions, without loss to the crews that flew it.
Also in attendance will be the B-25 Mitchell “Tondelayo” bombers and P-51D Mustang “Toulouse Nuts” fighter. Rides will be available for both along with the B-24 and B-17.
The weather is expected to be perfect for he event but the venue is also very visitor friendly. Not to mention the friendly staff from both the Collings Foundation and the NASW museum.
About the Collings Foundation
The Collings Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit educational foundation devoted to organizing “living history” events that allows people to learn more about their heritage and history through direct participation. The nationwide Wings of Freedom Tour is celebrating its 28th year and visits an average of 110 cities in over 35 states annually. Since its start, tens of millions of people have seen the B-17, B-24 & P-51 display at locations everywhere. The Wings of Freedom tour is one of the most extraordinary and unique interactive traveling historical displays of its kind. Learn more about the Collings Foundation and the Wings of Freedom tour http://www.collingsfoundation.org/
About the Naval Air Station Wildwood Museum
Naval Air Station Wildwood Foundation is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to restore Hangar #1 at the Cape May Airport, Cape May County, New Jersey, into an aircraft museum honoring the Navy airmen who died while training during World War II. Read more about the museum and this weekend’s AirFest http://www.usnasw.org/