The Collings Foundation is a non-profit, Educational Foundation (501(c)3), founded in 1979. The purpose of the Foundation is to preserve and exhibit  rare historical artifacts and to organize and support “living history” events that enable Americans to learn more about their heritage through direct participation.

B-24 Vet Irwin Stovroff talking with a school group visiting the Wings of Freedom Tour.

The original focus of the Foundation was transportation-related events such as antique car rallies, hill climbs, carriage and sleigh rides, and a winter ice-cutting festival in the Stow, MA area. During the mid-eighties, these activities were broadened to include aviation-related events such as air shows, barnstorming, historical reunions, and joint museum displays on a nationwide level.

Since 1989, a major focus of the Foundation has been the “Wings of Freedom Tour” of WWII aircraft.

This tour showcases two fully restored bomber aircraft: a B-24 Liberator and B-17 Flying Fortress. The newest addition to the Wings of Freedom Tour is a WWII P-51D Mustang dual-control fighter aircraft.

The Foundation’s 1944 vintage Consolidated B-24J Liberator is painted as “Witchcraft”, an 8th AF bomber that flew a record 130 missions over Europe as part of the 467 th BG. The Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress flew as “Nine-O-Nine”, an 8 th Air Force, 91 st BG heavy bomber until an accident in October, 2019. The B-17 was the companion of the B-24 in thousands of wartime, bombing, and reconnaissance missions. Together they were the backbone of the daylight strategic bombing campaign of WWII. Joining the bombers is a TF-51D Mustang escort fighter “Toulouse Nuts”. The P-51 was affectionately nicknamed by the bomber crews as their “Little Friends”. The P-51 Mustang and the pilots who flew them saved countless lives in the skies and on the ground, and helped turn the tide of WWII. The P-51 is arguably the finest fighter aircraft in the history of aviation.

The Wings of Freedom Tour

Youngster looking into the B-17 ball gun position.

The “Wings of Freedom Tour” has two goals: to honor the sacrifices made by our veterans that allow us to enjoy our freedom; and to educate the visitors, especially younger Americans, about our national history and heritage. The Foundation encourages people to tour the planes, talk to the veterans who come to visit the aircraft, and participate in a “flight experience”. In thirty years, the tour has made more than 3,400 visits to airports across the United States and Alaska. While the exact number of visitors is difficult to gauge, it is estimated that between 3.5 and 4 million people see these warbirds annually. On October 2, 2019, the B-17 was in an accident putting the Wings of Freedom tour on hiatus. We hope to re-start the national tour soon.

Vietnam Memorial Flight – Houston Operations
VMF Houston

In honor of America’s Vietnam Veterans, the Collings Foundation has developed the “Vietnam Memorial Flight” of the McDonnell F-4D Phantom II, Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk, and the Bell UH-1E Huey. The F-4D Phantom II is the only civilian operated example of the type and has appeared at major US air shows since 1999 in the markings of the aircraft flown by Gen. Robin Olds in Vietnam. In 2005 the F-4 was joined by the Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk that has been painted to represent the markings of H&MS-11 “The Playboys”, a distinguished all-volunteer fast forward air control group operated out of DaNang by USMC MAG-11. The UH-1E Huey, one of the most recognizable symbols of the Vietnam War, operates in the markings it carried while flown in combat by Captain Steven Pless, CMDH, with USMC VMO-6. This combat distinction is rare as many Hueys never returned from the war, much less surviving in the years since. In addition to attending air shows and living history events, we offer unique “flight experience” programs in the jets and helicopter. Our newest addition to the Vietnam Memorial Flight is an F-100F Super Sabre. This legendary jet is painted in honor of Col. Bud Day’s MISY 1 F-100.

The Foundation also operates additional historic aircraft that have made joint appearances with the Wings of Freedom Tour and Vietnam Memorial Flight, in addition to solo appearances. These include a Bell UH-1E Huey, Curtiss TP-40N Warhawk, Me 262, Douglas A-1E Skyraider, Lockheed T-33, McDonnell Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk, McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom, North American TP-51C Mustang and North American F-100F Supersabre.

Collings Foundation Headquarters

From our headquarters in Stow, MA, the Foundation coordinates the “Wings of Freedom” and “Vietnam Memorial” flights and acts as a clearinghouse of information on issues of both aviation and history, along with overseeing the operation of our other aircraft and “living history” projects.

The Foundation also sponsors on and off-site educational/restoration workshops. In Houston, TX, with the CF West group of volunteers based at Ellington Field help with on-going restoration and maintenance. The F-4D Phantom, TA-4J Skyhawk, F-100 Super Sabre and UH-IE Huey are also maintained there. The New Smyrna Beach, Florida location is responsible for the award-winning restoration of the F4U-5NL Corsair, as well as the annual and continued maintenance of the B-17, B-24, and B-25. These workshops provide the Foundation with valuable services and expertise, and the volunteers and veterans provide countless hours of labor – and enthusiasm.

Over the past thirty years the Foundation has undertaken and completed more restoration projects than many of the major aviation museums in the United States such as the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum (NASM) or the United States Air Force Museum. The importance of volunteers who support the Foundation’s efforts by hosting the aircraft in their towns, maintaining and restoring the planes, educating the American public about the heritage the planes represent, and financially supporting the Foundation’s efforts is invaluable. The Foundation’s efforts have caught the attention of people of all ages and backgrounds (the youngest volunteer started at age 12). The Foundation also relies upon the volunteer services from professional pilots, mechanics, experts and people of all walks of life.

The Foundation depends solely upon private funding–receiving donations from individual members, as well as the people who visit the aircraft in each city and town. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to the Collings Foundation, at the address listed below, and may be earmarked for any of the above-mentioned aircraft or for the general fund. If there are any questions you’d like answered, please contact us. If you would like to make a donation / membership online click here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH1OENTdCfQ