Photos: Check out the vintage WWII planes on display at Moffett Field

by Magali Gauthier May 23, 2019 1686 Views

Visitors walk around the North American B-25 Mitchell on display at the Wings of Freedom Tour at Moffett Federal Airfield on May 20. (Photo by Magali Gauthier)

The Wings of Freedom Tour lands in Mountain View for Memorial Day

Story by Mark Noack & Pics by Magali Gauthier (Mountain View Voice)

They may be old, but they can still take to the skies. An antique fleet of World War II aircraft is on display at Moffett Airfield for public viewing.

The aircraft are part of the Wings of Freedom Tour, a traveling collection of vintage military planes that includes many rare models believed to be among the last of their kind.

Those hard-to-find exhibits includes one of the nine remaining B-17 “Flying Fortress” heavy bombers. A B-24J “Liberator” bomber on display as part of the Wings of Freedom Tour is believed to be the last of its type still in flying condition.

Clockwise from top left: The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk flies above Moffett Federal Airfield for a private flight; The Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress prepare to turn on their engines; Jeff Fink, a co-pilot on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, cleans the wings of the massive bomber. Fink, a commercial pilot, has volunteered to fly the plane for three years now. Cleaning the wings helps gauge the health of engines, Fink says. Wings that get dirty fast could indicate a motor burning oil too quickly; Christian Vargas squeezes his way past bombs in the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. (Photo by Magali Gauthier)

Visitors are invited to explore and learn more about the aircraft. The nonprofit Collings Foundation, which owns the aircraft collection, is charging $15 for adults and $5 for children under 12 to view the planes and tour them inside. Visitors can also take a flight inside one of the aircraft, but at a much higher price, depending on the plane.

The Wings of Freedom Tour will be at Moffett Field just a little longer before taking off for its next destination just before Memorial Day. It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Saturday, May 25. More information is at collingsfoundation.org.

Clockwise from top left: Visitors climb into and walk around the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress at the Wings of Freedom Tour at Moffett Federal Airfield on May 20. The 140 yellow bombs painted on the side of the cockpit indicate the number of missions this bomber was sent on; Aman helps his son out of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress; A visitor photographs the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk taking off for a private flight. (Photos by Magali Gauthier)

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Photos: Check out the vintage WWII planes on display at Moffett Field

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Magali Gauthier

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