Air Show and Tell

Crews aboard American bombers during World War II led a dangerous and demanding life. Conditions were cramped and the men had to wear oxygen masks to breathe and heavy jackets to stave off subzero temperatures.

To remind Americans today about the hardships and sacrifices made by the thousands of aviators who served in the war, the Collings Foundation, in Stow, Mass., sends World War II aircraft barnstorming across the country each year as part of its Wings of Freedom Tour. Restored B-17 Flying Fortress and B-24 Liberator bombers fly to more than 120 cities, and visitors to the shows can view the interiors of the 1940s warbirds and even take flights in them for a fee.

“We’ve taken on the challenge of presenting living history,” says Bob Collings, a computer entrepreneur whose twin passions are history and vintage technology. He co-founded the Collings Foundation in 1979. “We support events where people can see, touch, smell, and participate in history. We hope they come away with a little better understanding of the courage the young men who served in these planes had to have.”

In addition to the B-17 and B-24, the organization’s aviation collection includes more than 15 flight-worthy vintage planes that sometimes participate in Wings of Freedom, including aircraft from the Korean and Vietnam War eras.

The bulk of the group’s nearly $3-million annual budget comes from donations people make to tour or fly in the planes. A 30-minute flight in the fuel-guzzling, four-engine planes costs $400 a person. The organization asks people to contribute $8 apiece when they take a tour of the aircraft. The organization has only three paid employees and relies heavily on volunteers, including pilots and mechanics.

While vintage planes can also be found tucked away in museums across the country, Mr. Collings isn’t satisfied by such displays. “We just feel airplanes were meant to fly,” he says. “We take the museum to the people.”

Here a trio of youngsters stares up the hatchway of a B-24 at a Wings of Freedom stop in Camarillo, Calif.