530/741-6463
email:  mhansen@syix.com

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 A Bit of History Arrives
at Yuba County Airport

The Yuba County Airport will be hosting two flying museum tours during the next two weeks. A 3-day visit by the Wings of Freedom Tour is scheduled for May 29 - 31 and a 4-day visit from June 12 - 16 by the Sentimental Journey Tour.

First to arrive on May 29 will be a B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator, the only restored and flying B-24 in the United States. The Wings of Freedom Tour visit is to honor "the greatest generation" – our dads and moms, grandfathers and grandmothers, uncles and aunts, they are the fabric of the American dream, the most industrious generation in modern times, who turned a country in the throes of high unemployment and a nearly bankrupt economy, into the most productive industrial giant the world has seen. Included in the roster of WWII crewmen are Jimmy Stewart, Walter Matthau, Clark Gable, Jack Palance, and Charlton Heston.

The Sentimental Journey Tour arrives June 12, which will place a second B-17 bomber on the field along with the Heinkel He-111 aircraft, a very rare aircraft of its kind and the only one flying in the United States.

A treat for Yuba County Airport, a former military air base previously known as Alicia Field, the fully restored WWII heavy bombers are flying museums and living, breathing examples of actual combat aircraft. These very same aircraft waged a war against evil and tyranny a half a century ago., Today, they serve as flying classrooms, teaching countless thousands annually about the most critical period in the history of mankind and the sacrifices made by millions of Americans.

Hosted by the Yuba County Airport, these events will include both rides and tours. "This is a rare opportunity for us to host these historical tours," remarked Airport Manager Mary Hansen. "I am pleased to invite the public to tour through and actually fly in the aircraft."

The first tour will be on display in front of Ryan Aviation at the Yuba County Airport from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm on May 29 and from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm on May 30, and from 8:30 am until 2:00 pm on May 31. Flight experiences are available for a $350 tax deductible donation. Tours throughout the display are available for a small donation. The schedule for the Sentimental Journey tour will be announced shortly or you can call 741-6463. You can also access the airport’s website at www.yubacoairport.com.

The Wings of Freedom Tour is provided by The Collings Foundation of Stow, Massachusetts, an organization that strives to keep the memories of World War II alive in a unique and exciting manner. Ed Whitson of the Yuba-Sutter Air Expo Committee is credited for securing this tour. The Sentimental Journey Tour comes from the Arizona Wing of the Confederate Air Force, flying 19,000 miles last year to visit 56 cities.