Historic aircraft fly into Monterey Airport

Parts of history flew into Monterey today with kids and adults eager to see a major part of the past.

Spectators got to see several of the aircraft that helped win World War II for the good guys!

The Wings of Freedom Tour roared into the Monterey Regional Airport Wednesday, something it has done for many years, to show off some beautiful, vintage fighter planes and bombers. Four World War Two-era planes and one from Vietnam were put on display, brought here by the Collings Foundation, a non-profit educational organization that helps support and organize living history events. For the aficionados out there, spectators today got to see a B-24 Liberator, a B-25 Mitchell, a fan favorite TF-51D Mustang, the coveted B-17 Flying Fortress, and for the first time this year, the Vietnam era A-1E Skyraider. Spectators were in awe.

“Just really something to see something like this. And the people taking advantage of seeing this is history,” said Laverna Engle, who remembers the start of World War Two.

“Coming out and seeing this is amazing. Climbing through that B-17, you don’t have any conception when you see the movies of bombers how small it is and how cramped up people were. It’s amazing,” said spectator Mike Canan.

“It’s just like you’re going back in time. Part of our generation doesn’t really know it until you see this king of thing and then they realize, it really did happen,” said Sally Canan.

Monterey is just one stop on the Wings of Freedom Tour, and these historic planes will be here from Wednesday until Friday at noon. There’s a small fee to enter the area and walk inside many of the planes, and those really invested can pay to take a ride in them and even fly your favorite plane to your heart’s content.

All proceeds go to the Collings Foundation, where they put the money right back into the maintenance and restoration of the planes.