Boeing B-17G "Nine O Nine" Engine Start at Tacoma Narrows Airport WA

This aircraft belongs to the Collings Foundation and is part of the " The Wings of Freedom Tour". The Collings Foundation visits over 150+ locations nationwide per year to help promote aviation's living history and the rememberance of our veterans.

Made famous in its role in the Daylight Strategic Bombing Campaign of WWII and the post-war movies that made it an icon, the B-17 flies proudly across the United States with its companion, the B-24 Liberator on a mission of peace and remembrance. No longer avoiding anti-aircraft fire or the terror of enemy fighters, the B-17 stands as a living history exhibit for the nation as it flies on the annual Wings of Freedom Tour into over 130 cities annually.

One of only fourteen B-17s still flying in the United States, the rare B-17 gives the citizens of the communities it visits a chance see how it was like so long ago. It gives our WWII veterans the chance to talk about their experiences with a backdrop that brings their stories alive and educates a generation that may have never heard of their experiences as they fought for freedom. This education ensures that the sacrifices of our veterans will never be forgotten as long as our children have the chance to learn with the B-17 and B-24.

You can find the B-17 with the B-24 all over the nation and there is a good chance that a stop may be happening near you! Check our schedule for a chance to visit and maybe even fly on the B-17 Flying Fortress!