WWII planes come to West Chicago
You can read all you want about World War II, but it's a wholly different experience when you're actually sitting inside a B-24 bomber, feeling the engines power up.
"The plane's starting to shake and the brakes are released and you shoot down the runway: That is the moment when you realize this a true life experience," said Hunter Chaney, director of marketing for the Collings Foundation.
Three World War II aircraft will be at the DuPage Airport in West Chicago this weekend, open to walk-through tours and - for those who want a more authentic experience - flights.
The B-24 Liberator and the B-17 Flying Fortress will be available for $425 flights; the P-51 Mustang comes at a heftier cost: $2,200 for a half-hour flight and $3,200 for an hour.
However, those who take the opportunity to fly in the P-51 will get some "stick time," since the plane comes with dual controls in the back seat.
The tours are $12 for adults and $6 for children.
The West Chicago stop from Friday through Sunday is one of several on a regional "Wings of Freedom" tour that also will head to Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling from July 31 to Aug. 3. The planes will be available for viewing from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Besides the aircraft, several veterans are flying in to offer firsthand tales of World War II combat.
"It makes for a really unusual historical experience," Chaney said of the combination of veterans and aircrafts. "It's in that interaction that people really understand this particular time in history and what it must have been like."
Chaney said the goal is to have those who visit become excited about the history of the war and want to learn more.
"It's important to remember why so many people had met their demise in fighting in this war," he said.
The foundation has a sound belief in the adage: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
"We use these planes as a very tactile vehicle to understand this history," Chaney said.
Anyone interested in a flight reservation should call (800) 568-8924 or visit cfdn.org.
If you go
What: Wings of Freedom Tour with WWII bombers
Where: DuPage Airport, 2700 International Drive, West Chicago
When: 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Cost: $6 for children and $12 for adults for walk-through tours; $425 for flights in the B-24 Liberator or the B-17 Flying Fortress; $2,200 for half-hour in the P-51 Mustang or $3,200 for full hour
Info: (800) 568-8924 or cfdn.org