A B-24 Liberator pilot fires up his engines preparing to depart Lawton Fort Sill Regional Airport, April 1. The Liberator, part of the Wings of Freedom Tour, was one of four World War II airplanes on display March 30 and April 1, 2016 offering visito...

FORT SILL, Okla. (April 7, 2016) -- The Wings of Freedom Tour made an unexpected stop in Lawton last week to give people a glimpse into their past, and to give a new generation a better grasp of history.

The air show was March 30 and April 1 at Lawton Fort Sill Regional Airport.

Four planes made up the Freedom Group: the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell and the P-51 Mustang.

"We had a great turnout, and we expect to come back again next year," said Jamie Mitchell, Collings Foundation Wings of Freedom flight coordinator. "We were originally scheduled for Ada, Oklahoma, but I'm glad it was canceled and we were rerouted here. This place brought back some personal memories for me; I've had several relatives graduate boot camp at Fort Sill."

Each plane had its fair share of flights for the spectators, but the B-24 flown by Jim Harley, chief pilot, stole the show with the most flights each day. On March 31, the B-24 made seven flights. Folks of all ages were able to get up-close and personal with the vintage aircraft before and after the flights.

For a fee, that was 80-percent tax deductable, spectators could fly in the vintage aircraft.

"There are more veterans that flew the B-24 during World War II than any other plane," said Mitchell. "Consequently, that's the plane they want to go up in."

"The tour is almost like a museum, except with these planes, visitors don't just get to look but they can touch and even go for rides," said Harley.

Looking at these aircraft of the past, he remembered an America he was proud of.

"That was a tremendous time in this nation, and it was a time when everybody was pulling together for America instead of tearing it down," he added.

The Wings of Freedom Tour operates from January through November each year. The four aircraft fly across the nation providing a living museum for all to enjoy.

"We're three dimensional, you can look at [history] in a book, it really doesn't do much for you; but when you can go out and see and touch it and hear it run, it adds a whole new dimension to it," Harley said.

Being inside one of the thunderous birds was a great educational experience for many who attended and never saw the old war birds up close.

"Our unofficial slogan is giving the past a future," Mitchell said.

Bob Collings, founder of the Collings Foundation, owns all the planes for the Wings of Freedom. He made his fortune by introducing the bar code system people see every day on the products they buy. The Collings Foundation is a nonprofit, educational foundation which came into being in 1979. Its purpose is to organize and support living history events that enable Americans to learn more about their heritage through direct participation. The foundation also presents air shows displaying civilian aircraft of the past as well as historical automobiles.

For more information about the foundation, tours, reservations and shows, visit www.collingsfoundation.org or call 800-568-8924.