Thu, Apr 10, 2003
Help Keep These Monuments Flying
On the evening of Saturday, April 5th 2003, a storm producing
golf ball-sized hail pummeled the Collings Foundation's B-17 Flying
Fortress and B-24 Liberator in Dallas (TX), during a visit of the
Wings of Freedom Tour to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum at the Addison
Airport. The fabric control surfaces on both aircraft were shredded
and the sheet metal and paint also sustained damage.
Through the generosity of the Lone Star Flight Museum of
Galveston (TX) and the Commemorative Air Force Gulf Coast Wing in
Houston, the Foundation has borrowed some of the required control
surfaces for temporary use, until the Foundation's own
components can be repaired and replaced. The cosmetic sheet metal
and paint repairs do not impact the airworthiness of the aircraft,
and will be addressed during the annual maintenance at the end of
the year.
Once they covered the sky from horizon to horizon. Now, they
are but a handful...
The Foundation, already faced with increased insurance and fuel
costs, is initiating a fundraising campaign to help cover the
costs involved in recovering of the control surfaces, cosmetic
restoration and repainting.
The Foundation says, "In the spirit of 'making lemonade out of
lemons,' we are offering a limited edition series of framed 8x10
displays, one each for the B-17 and B-24, which includes a framed
picture of the aircraft, its individual history, and a swatch of
fabric from the plane's control surface."
Individual displays can be obtained for a donation of $150 per
unit and the pair can be ordered for $275. Any and all support is
appreciated to help "keep 'em flying." Individual donations are
also appreciated to help defray the cost of the needed repairs. The
Wings of Freedom Tour is currently touring the Southwest and West
Coast.
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