WWII relics take to the skies

A crowd of about two dozen people braced against gusts of a former fighter plane as its propellers readied for takeoff Sunday.

The North American P-51 Mustang “Toulouse Nuts” fighter was one of three World War II planes that landed in Fort Lauderdale this weekend as part of the Wings of Freedom tour.

Now in its 30th year, the nationwide tour is meant to honor WWII veterans and act as a hands-on learning experience, according to the Collings Foundation, a nonprofit that put on the event.

Attendees were able to get up close, and inside, of planes similar to those that helped guide the outcome of one of the world’s largest conflicts.

“It’s a great way to learn about history,” Dania Beach resident Jose Tuozzo said as he, his wife and son the Mustang taxi on the runway. “I’ve only seen these in movies. I love this.”

The show also featured a Consolidated B-24 Liberator, painted as “Witchcraft.” On the side of the plane were 130 bomb glyphs to represent the 130 combat missions Witchcraft had seen.

Nearby sat the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress “Nine O Nine,” which is one of only nine in flying condition, said the foundation’s spokesman Hunter Chaney.

According to the foundation, “Nine O Nine” was restored as an ode to the original battle-hardened plane, which saw 140 missions and dropped more than 281 tons of bombs on Berlin, Germany in the campaign against the Nazi regime.

Many of the planes were scrapped after WWII, but the Collings Foundation restored the three on display Sunday.

Visitors were allowed to sit in the aircrafts’ cockpits and turrets. The event also allowed people to fly in the planes for a fee.

If you missed the tour’s stop in Fort Lauderdale, you can still catch it at Boca Raton’s airport at 903 NW 35th Street from Monday through Thursday. Tickets are $5 for children 12 and under and $15 for adults and can be purchased on-site.