B-17, B-24J & P-51C in Valparaiso, IN.

[TP Alexander]

The Colling's Foundation's "WINGS OF FREEDOM" tour will be flying into the Porter County Airport on the edge of Valparaiso, Indiana at about 1200 on 21 July and remain there until about 1200 on 23 July, 2014.
They are charging a $12 donation for adults and $6 for children under the age of 12 to tour the interior of the planes. Flights on either the B-17 or B-24 will be $450 per person. Flights are approximately of 30 minutes in duration.
The aircraft's official designations are:
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 'Nine 0 Nine' WW2 Heavy Bomber
Consolidated B-24J Liberator 'Witchcraft' WW2 Heavy Bomber
P-51 Mustang Fighter (Dual Control P-51C)

The B-17 is one of only eight in flying condition in the United States; the B-24J and the Dual Control P-51C Mustang are the sole remaining examples of their type flying in the world.

I will take my 3 year old son there and try to catch some video as they land and put it on YouTube and post a link, if I can.
I will also get some good closeup photos and post them when they arrive.
Tim

[Chet Sowersby]

Tim,
You are gonna love it! I and my son have flown in all three bombers and I've repeated on the B-17 with my son in law. Pics of our flights are posted in this forum by "Heer Flak". There are thousands of nasty zinc badges out there that one can buy for a flight in one of these aircraft. How many flyable aircraft are there? Unlike zinc, you will have memories for a liftetime!

[TP Alexander]

Tim,
You are gonna love it! I and my son have flown in all three bombers and I've repeated on the B-17 with my son in law. Pics of our flights are posted in this forum by "Heer Flak". There are thousands of nasty zinc badges out there that one can buy for a flight in one of these aircraft. How many flyable aircraft are there? Unlike zinc, you will have memories for a liftetime!

Chet,
I made it out to the airport, but couldn't finagle a flight. I failed to plan ahead.
Next year or the year after for sure.
The P-51 didn't get there. They were short a pilot and a guy had to get in a car to go up to WIsconsin to fetch it back. The last time I saw the planes in Indiana, you could walk right up to them and walk around them. This time they had them out on the tarmac and everyone had to stay back on the grass. I couldn't get any really decent shots of the Liberator.
Here is some video that I managed to get. I never use the camera, so I did my best!

1. Warmup
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymo9...ature=youtu.be

2.Takeoff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFlJ...ature=youtu.be

3.Flying overhead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VplN...ature=youtu.be

4.Taxi back to the pad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Citz...ature=youtu.be

[TP Alexander]

Some shots from the day. 21 July 2014 Porter County Airport in Valparaiso, IN.
In no particular order.

[TP Alexander]

The B-24 in the top shot and me and the chillun' in the bottom shot.

[TP Alexander]

B-17

[TP Alexander]

More

[TP Alexander]

Last shots.

My daughter, Moira, the future conservator of my collection!
Sorry, no marriage proposals are being entertained yet!

[Douglas Jr.]

Thanks a lot for taking your time to post the videos and pictures.
Your children are also beautiful kids - God bless them. Congratulations!