In honor of Veteran’s Day, I thought I would veer from my normal posts and revisit the Wings of Freedom Airplane Tour I took a few years back. What an incredible experience to not only see but walk through these historical planes.

WINGS OF FREEDOM ~ B-17

WW II B-17 Bomber

The interior was every bit as fascinating as the exterior, with lots of gizmos and gadgets, and challenging-to-maneuver entries and exits.

B-17 Cockpit

B-17 rear gunner post

WINGS OF FREEDOM ~ B-24 BOMBER

B-24 Bomber

This is the only flyable B-24 in the world. It was destined for the junk heap, until a group called the Collings Foundation took it “under their wing” and restored it. A list of all those who served on this aircraft is posted on the side of the plane. It flew 130 missions without a crew member being lost or injured. Amazing!

Wing spans were an incredible 110 feet in length!

B-24 Cockpit

Lower gunner compartment

The smallest of the 10 crew members got the job of being the lower gunman due to the cramped space inside the compartment. Unfortunate for those who were claustrophobic!

WINGS OF FREEDOM ~ B-25 & P-51

B-25 Liberator

We also saw a B-25 Liberator and a P-51 Mustang. These two planes were available for rides at the meager cost of $450 per half-hour!! Needless to say, we admired them from afar. But then, it costs $4000 to keep all 4 planes in the air each hour of flight! These were the two planes my husband witnessed flying over our farm. Somehow, he missed the larger two. And I missed all four! So thankful we had the opportunity to tour them and even watch them take off for their next destination!

P-51 Mustang

While it’s sobering to recall the purpose for these incredible machines was to drop bombs on towns and people during the war, it is also exhilarating to know that these very aircrafts carried the men, and possibly women, who fought to retain our freedom in this and other nations. God bless them for their sacrifice!

I’ve been asked if I would ever write a story set during WW II. My response? You never know! If the Lord gives me a story for that time period, I’ll gladly write it. =)

**Do you know anyone who flew in planes such as these during WW II?  If so, I’d love to hear their story!

SOME HISTORICAL READING

Stories of faith and resilience on the Midwest prairie 

Inspirational Historical Romance

~Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble
**Connect with Cynthia Roemer on Facebook, Goodreads and Twitter.