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For over 30 years the Wings of Freedom Tour has shown off American aviation heritage across the country, flying icons of the sky like the B-17 and P-51 to inspire aviators, young and old. The Collins Foundation announced in its 2023-2024 newsletter that it was transitioning the tour with plans to move the historic aircraft to its new museum in Massachusetts, or as they said, the end of an era. The Collins Foundation began preserving aircraft with the acquisition of a B-24J Liberator Bomber known as Witchcraft. Witchcraft was restored to its wartime condition and became a centerpiece of the foundation. The foundation went on to acquire a Boeing B-17 known as Nine-O-Nine and a North American B-25 Mitchell bomber called Tondelayo. Eventually, a WWII-era P-51C Mustang Betty Jane, TF-51D Mustang Toulouse Nuts and a TP-40N Warhawk joined the ranks. In 1989, with a robust collection, the foundation launched the Wings of Freedom Tour, bringing excitement over aircraft to the nation, visiting 100 cities per year and providing veterans an opportunity to connect with an aircraft they once flew.
Over the decades, the tour has become an educational hub to teach future generations about vintage aircraft and the brave aviators who flew them, taking enthusiasts and students alike on a trip back in time to a great age of aviation. The Wings of Freedom Tour became an event for millions of people to enjoy over the years, supported by thousands of volunteers and supporters to make the dream possible. Sadly, in 2019 tragedy struck when the Nine-O-Nine crashed during a tour stop in Connecticut and seven people lost their lives, including passengers and foundation staff members.RELATED STORY:Foundation reaches settlement with victims after B-17 crash that killed 7, injured 7
On Oct. 2, 2019, the B-17G Nine-O-Nine was at the Bradley International Airport (BDL) conducting a flight with ten passengers when the pilot radioed controllers to say the plane was returning to the field due to an engine problem. The plane struck approach lights and the ground before reaching the end of the runway and hitting unoccupied vehicles. The majority of the fuselage was then consumed in a post-impact fire. In total, seven people were killed including staff, passengers and one person on the ground. According to the NTSB report, the landing gear had been extended prematurely, adding drag to a plane that had already lost some engine power. Investigators found that the partial loss of power in two of the four engines was due to inadequate maintenance by the pilot, also contributing to the crash. Despite the voluntary safety management system the foundation had in place, the NTSB found it failed to identify and mitigate numerous risks, including safety issues related to the maintenance of the plane.
Following the crash, the FAA revoked the foundation's permission to carry passengers in its aircraft. The foundation had operated under the Living History Flight Experience exemption since 1996, which exempted the foundation from operating under FAA requirements. The Collings Foundation was required to petition the FAA for an LHFE extension every two years and at the time of the crash, the agency was reviewing a petition sent on Aug. 22, 2019. The petition was denied on March 25, 2020.
Survivors of the crash and families of the victims filed a lawsuit against the foundation after the NTSB final report was released. The foundation was sued for negligence, recklessness and callous indifference after the plane crashed due to engine problems. Two victims settled in 2021 and the remaining group filed a sit and reached a confidential agreement in October, after four years of mediation with the other eight victims. The crash in 2019 came right before the COVID-19 pandemic, which dealt another blow to the foundation.
As the pandemic swept across the globe, shutting down businesses and large events and forcing lock-downs, travel restrictions and safety concerns. The cancellation of numerous events led to serious financial losses. The Wings of Freedom Tour relies on the support of volunteers and skilled personnel to restore its aircraft and keep them in flying condition. The foundation said that recruiting and retaining individuals for these roles has become more difficult since the Nine-O-Nine crash. The severe restrictions, both physical and financial, in the wake of the deadly 2019 crash and the global pandemic led the foundation to begin planning for a new phase.
The Collings Foundation began planning to transition from its flying tour to a static display, bringing its impressive collection of warbirds to a new museum. While the Wings of Freedom Tour has left many people with lasting memories and an eternal appreciation for aviation, a new stage brings new opportunities. As the foundation begins planning for the next phase of its mighty collection, it is comforted by what the more than 30-year-strong tour has provided so many.
The second life for these warbirds will be at the American Heritage Museum in Stow, Massachusetts. The Collings Foundation opened the museum in 2019 and hosts an impressive collection of over 90 tanks, vehicles, aircraft and artillery pieces, from the Revolutionary War to the present day. A large percentage of the collection came from the late Jacques Littlefield and his Military Vehicle Technology Foundation. The collection shows the evolution of American technology, military history and political strategy from the 18th to 21st centuries.RELATED STORY:National USAF Museum acquires rare PT-17 that trained Tuskegee Airmen
The foundation said the American Heritage Museum will be an ideal steward for its collection of historic aircraft. When the tour first began 34 years ago, the foundation had a collection of seven aircraft and a mission to bring joy to aviators across the country. Now, with a fleet of 50, these rare aircraft will represent some of the most important eras in aviation and military aircraft. Even on static display, these aircraft will give people a chance to see a piece of history and form a new appreciation for aviation and these iconic aircraft.
The WWII-era planes will join a host of other historic aircraft like a 1914 Curtiss Model F Flying Boat and a 1911 Wright Vin Fiz replica. Among the WWII collection are an L-4 Grasshopper, a Cessna UC-78 Bobcat and a Lockheed P-38 Lightning. The collections also include later aircraft, like a Korean War-era North American AT-6F Texan. The museum has four aircraft listed as under restoration, the Fairchild PT-19A (flown by the Tuskegee Airmen), a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina and most recently a Junkers Ju-87D-5 Stuka.
The Collings Foundation asked the public for help. Moving these aircraft to the American Heritage Museum requires a capital campaign to raise awareness and funds for the expansion to house the new collection. The foundation asks for support to make the American Heritage Museum the best historic aviation museum in the world.