West Villages Improvement District: WWII Warbirds return to their Venice roost

Venice Gondolier Sun
Kim Cool Features Editor
January 23, 2019

Vintage airplanes from World War II return to Venice Municipal Airport Thursday, Jan 31.

The occasion is the 33rd annual Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom Tour. Venice is just one of 110 cities in the U.S. selected for the annual tour.

The same three planes that were here a year ago are coming: B-17 Flying Fortress "Nine O Nine," B-24 Liberator "Witchcraft" and P-51 Mustang "Toulouse Nuts.". Search the skies over Venice for them after noon on Jan 31.

A fourth plane would have been here this year but needs more engine work and will join the tour in another month, according to a spokesman from the Collings Foundation.

The visit from the planes provides a rare opportunity to explore them and learn more about these rare treasures of aviation history.

The B-17 is one of only nine in flying condition in the United States. The B-24 Liberator is the sole remaining example of its type flying anywhere in the world, while the P-51 "Toulouse Nuts" fighter recently received the prestigious Grand Champion Award for restoration.

The Mustang is a two-seater modification of the single-seat plane used to train fighter pilots at the Venice Army Air Base from 1943 to 1945, when World War II ended.

During those years, the Venice population swelled by about 4,800 personnel stationed in Venice. That was about equal to the population in Venice just before the Great Depression and the end of the Florida Land Boom in 1928, when the population plummeted to 400.

The first post-Depression population spurt was also military-based.

In 1932, the Kentucky Military Institute, a military school, moved its winter quarters to Venice, using the old Hotel Venice and Hotel San Marco for dorms and classrooms. The building on the site of today's Venice Theatre was its armory and gymnasium.

Today's Centennial Park, was, in those days, a green grass field on which the cadets would parade on Sunday afternoons.

Establishing the airbase was the next boost to the city.

From when you hear the low drone of the two giant World War II bombers and distinctive sound of the little Mustang fighter planes over Venice in the early afternoon of Jan. 31, until their departure on Feb. 3, the Venice airport will once again be the center of attention for airplane aficionados.

While the sight of the planes and the chance to talk to the men who fly them are thrill enough for most fans of vintage planes, the chance to actually fly aboard them is even more special.

The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take a 30-minute flight aboard either the B-17 or B-24 is $450.00 per person. Flights generally are low enough along the coastline to give passengers a good aerial view of the city, possibly of their own house.

The ultimate adventure is "stick time" in the world's greatest fighter, the P-51. Flight training is $2,200 for a half hour and $3,200 for a full hour. For reservations and information on flight experiences, call 800-568-8924.

For a more grounded experience, visitors are invited to explore the aircraft inside and out. The cost of $15.00 for adults and $5.00 for children under 12 provides up-close viewing and tours through the inside of the aircraft. There are discounted rates for school groups.

For additional information: www.collingsfoundation.org

Ali H. Johnston, MBA in Real Estate