Collings Foundation Grounds Air Tour for WWII Aircraft

The Collings Foundation is ending its decades-long Wings of Freedom tour and putting its aircraft on permanent display at its Massachusetts museum.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, November 30, 2023 at 05:16 PM ET

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Aircraft from the Wings of Freedom tour will be put on display at the Collings Foundation American Heritage Museum. [Courtesy: Hunter Chaney]

Key Takeaways:

The Collings Foundation is ending its nationwide "Wings of Freedom" flying exhibition tour, opting instead to place its historic aircraft, including the B-17, on permanent display at the American Heritage Museum in Massachusetts.
This decision was primarily influenced by the deadly 2019 B-17 "Nine-O-Nine" accident, which resulted in fatalities and NTSB findings of pilot error, inadequate maintenance, and systemic safety failures by the foundation and lack of FAA oversight.
The foundation's mission has shifted from reaching World War II veterans through flights to providing an immersive, educational museum experience for a new generation, with expanded facilities for this purpose.
The move away from public exhibition flights for B-17s is also underscored by broader safety concerns within the warbird community, including other recent accidents and FAA airworthiness directives.

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“In the wake of the 2019 B-17 Flying Fortress accident…” The message begins in the Collings Foundation American Heritage Museum newsletter, “We are moving forward on our long-term plans to bring the aircraft from a nationwide flying exhibition to permanent display here in Massachusetts.”

For decades, the Wings of Freedom tour brought World War II aircraft to thousands of aviation fans at airports across the country, offering rides for a price aboard the Boeing B-17G, B-25, B-24, and P-51D.