Flying museum visits Coatesville airport

John Barrett knows about flying. His brother worked on airplanes and flew in helicopters during the Vietnam War. And Barrett flew with a buddy years ago while the man was working toward his commercial pilot's license.

But the 55-year-old software trainer from Glenmoore, Chester County, had never seen aircraft like this before.

"The people who [fly] these things, I couldn't imagine [flying] them myself," Barrett said.

Barrett was at the Chester County G.O. Carlson Airport in Coatesville on Thursday as the "Wings of Freedom" tour was in the second day of its three-day exhibition. The tour, sponsored by the Massachusetts-based Collings Foundation, features three vintage World War II-era planes and visits airports around the country as a "historical flying museum."

This was its seventh visit to the Coatesville airport, and two bombers and a fighter plane were on display.

"A lot of the World War II veterans don't really talk about their experiences in common conversation," said Ryan Keough, the event's flight coordinator. "So these airplanes really bring that story out."

Visitors to the show are able to get inside the planes for between $6 and $12, or take a 30- or 60-minute flight for between $450 and $2,200.

John Barry, 67, of Downingtown, got inside one of the bombers and watched the fighter plane take off.

"It even looks fast," he said of the P-51C Mustang.

Julie Cruze, 37, a pilot from Orlando working with the tour, said she loved to see veterans "relive" their days as airmen.

"It's the greatest thrill to help preserve flying history," she said.

Organizers of the tour, in its 26th year, said their goal was to keep the public aware of the aircraft's history, and they average visits to 35 states and 102 cities every year.

The tour ends its visit to Coatesville on Friday with a session from 9 a.m. to noon.

For more information about the tour and the foundation, go to www.collingsfoundation.org.

kwilliams@philly.com@KRWilliams610