Wings of Freedom Tour 2019
 

Yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing the Wings of Freedom Tour here in Laconia. It was a chance for all to see up close, touch and fly in 4 WWII military planes. I just admired them, took some pictures and got to put my hands on them, which gave me the chills. Many brave souls gave their lives fighting for our freedom and the liberation of millions in Europe in planes just like these. It was a fantastic experience. It will be here today and Wednesday as well.

Here are a few images I took:

https://i.imgur.com/VQ1UfBj.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sKHIMfW.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/R210cWx.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tISX5ke.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/MXKUVMB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/L86T59m.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/PTLjm7n.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/H0oJo06.jpg



This is my favorite. I love the way the boy's grandfather has his hand on the boy and I like to think that he is feeling grateful that his grandson didn't have to fight and hopeful that he never will.

https://i.imgur.com/mzxLJjU.jpg

They come to Venice FL airport every winter too. Beautiful to see.

I am one of the fortunate ones,

I get to see these routinely as most are stored & flown at his home in MA (1/2 mile from my home). The larger aircraft, like the B24 he can no longer land at his home without special exemption from the FAA. These I believe are hangered in Nashua (if not mistaken). He has an incredible display of not only planes, but also army vehicles of all sorts and vintage race cars. He just expanded & opened his "tank" museum. It is incredible to hear one of those rumble down the street when he acquires a new one :D

All are open to the public in Hudson/Stow, MA

Very good turn out this morning with cars parked both sides of the access road.

We got to see take offs and landings of the B-17, P-40 and P-51. Also warm up of the Mitchell Bomber in prep for a flight.

Taking a close look at each plane it is obvious that keeping these planes flight ready is an immense undertaking. They must have scavenged bone yards worldwide for spare parts. And they must have the skill to fabricate a wide range of parts.

I was lucky enough to fly on the B-17 last week out of Worcester. I was in the nose as we flew over my home. Very cool. I would love to do it again.
If you have the chance, take a flight.

More Discussions on "Wings of Freedom"...
 

Other threads from the 2018 and 2019 Wings of Freedom Air Shows:

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...ghlight=bomber

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/forums...ghlight=bomber

Good stuff!! I wish high school students were taught about the sacrifices the WWII generation made for protecting the world from tyranny. I talked with a middle school history teacher recently and she said her students think we are the bad guys and we are an illegitimate country. Sad.

Not to go OT, but I think what you're asking comes more from parents than teachers. My son approaches every military, police, fire, or other public service member with a "thank you for your service."

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Sorry to keep the off topic thing going but if you think some of our children are not being indoctrinated to teacher’s personal, political leanings, by many of our teachers and “professors” in this country, then you are pretty naive.
This is well known to be rampant in our schools and colleges today. Parents can teach what they choose to but teachers must allow our children to think for themselves while presenting them a balanced unbiased view.
I do commend you, as a teacher, for teaching your own children to respect our military and first responders.

Why can parents indoctrinate or teach whatever they want? I never knew my parents political leanings or who they voted for.

I think the point is that there are things a parent CAN teach their children that a school teacher CAN'T- a definitive example would be religion.

On the schooling subject- there are systems that can't even expect/insist that a student actually do school work. You can't make students do anything.

Every school district is different. The movie, "Saving Private Ryan", is still being viewed in many classrooms. Obviously, some instructional setup would be prudent. Many of today's high school students were born 60 years before D-Day. They can barely fathom the hardships of that event, let alone earning $1.00/hr as a family breadwinner. Never-the-less, I think the movie makes its point.

Maybe your history teacher/friend is confusing appreciation for the people/families who sacrificed their lives during WWII for the fact that students don't even have to stand for the pledge of allegiance, or even acknowledge the reciting of it- all they are required to do is be respectfully quiet.

Maybe today's immigration issue is a factor!?!?

Whatever! I still have faith that most kids will eventually grow up, and become responsible citizens. Their biggest problem is that they will have do deal with people just like them (sound familiar?).

Learn from Children?
 

Millions of students left classrooms to protest fossil fuels during the Childrens March this past week.

:rolleye1:

Yes and they were allowed and encouraged by guess who? Teachers!

I'm sure y'all had issues with student protests about Vietnam and Civil Rights, too?

I'm glad kids are getting involved--they've been left a country that needs lots of fixing.

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I realize it is a typo and you must have meant after, but your post did make me chuckle.

High school students today are 135 years old?!! :D

It looks like a Wings of Freedom tour plane was involved in a crash in Connecticut:

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/10...adley-airport/

https://news.yahoo.com/hartfords-bra...151854742.html

That is soo sad to hear... hope the pilot/s is ok!

Woodsy

Two are reported dead. More info and pictures in this article:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...nnecticut.html

That's horrible!! My hearts go out to all the family's. I know when that was here that's the plane that you paid for them to take you up on. My 11 year old was teaching all about this plane. Very sad!!! ☹☹

Terrible News...
 

The bomber crashed in a giant fireball while trying to land in Connecticut, having crashed into a shed.

This comes on a landing in 2011 of another B-17, the Liberty Belle, which caught fire on the ground and no fire-fighting equipment was available. (Landed safely, seven walked away—no casualties).

History of B-17 incidents:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accide...lying_Fortress

Latest reports indicate 14 injured and unfortunately there are fatalities.


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I just took this pic of this bomber at the nashua airport this past Saturday. As I watched a few of these planes take off, I thought to myself, you would never catch me up in those things.

Wings
 

Death toll is now 5, so sad that plane was right here in Laconia 10 days ago. Am glad that I went down to see the show and had the opportunity to look inside and put my hand on history.

There were 14 onboard the B-17. 7 dead and 7 are in the hospital with 3 in critical condition. News report stated that the plane took off from Bradley, lost an engine and was returning to Bradley when it crashed into a deicing storage tank at the airport and burst into flames. My heart goes out to the victims and their families.

A terrible tragedy; it is heartbreaking to hear this. Latest info i have heard is that it reported a problem right after takeoff and then crash landed. I heard there was 13 onboard and 7 fatalities.

This is an incredible tragedy. People lost their lives and I suspect that the Collins Foundation will never rise past this and people in the future will never see these planes fly again. I thought for a long time about taking a ride on the B-17 last week at LCI. In the end the price did me in for a 25 minute ride, but I did consider the danger aspect too after watching their walk through on YouTube. I did spend 2 days hanging out on the lake waiting for a fly-over. Eventually I did experience one. I just love the sound of those old big engines.

My thoughts go out to those who lost their lives today on Nine-O-Nine.

Here's a few pictures of her from 2008 and 2009 posted in the Photopost gallery :(:

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/photop...ne_O_Nine1.jpg

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/photop...medium/9O9.jpg

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/photop...m/DSC_0366.JPG

https://www.winnipesaukee.com/photop...all_turret.jpg

Minor correction to this - there were 13 onboard - 3 crew and 10 passengers. One of the injured was on the ground working around the deicing equipment, bringing the total injured or deceased to 14.

My understanding is the B17 is a handful to fly when everything is working properly. Sounds like they had an engine issue. The sad part is they were probably a few hundred feet from a safe landing, but just couldn't make it. RIP to those who perished. Prayers for the families and those who survived.

Here is a short video of takeoff at Laconia Airport.

My understanding is exactly the opposite. The B17 was known to "almost fly itself" during WWII. This plane could suffer much damage from flack and fighters yet still survive to bring it's crew home safely. More than once a B17 was brought home and safely landed by a pilot who was heavily wounded. I of course don't have first hand knowledge of this as I"m not old enough to be a WWII vet but I've read and watched enough accounts from those that were there to know the B17 a remarkable piece of machinery to fly.

My father-in-law flew both 17s & 29s. Told me that the 17 was a cable flight control system and it was a bear to muscle while the 29 was servo system and was much easier to handle. He did say the 17 could “take a licken and keep on ticking” better than an bomber of the era.


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This is what I understand too, it's a great airplane and worked great for its era but when things started going wrong it took a lot to manage it. It had one of the first autopilots I believe, which helped a lot.