Fantasy of Flight
Encyclopedia
Fantasy of Flight is an aviation
-related attraction in Polk City
, Florida
, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight, World War I
, World War II
and beyond. The attraction opened in November of 1995, and houses the world's largest private aircraft collection on display. It became the new home for much of owner Kermit Weeks
' collection of aircraft that were previously housed at the Weeks Air Museum in Tamiami, Florida and were damaged to varying degrees by Hurricane Andrew
in 1992.
Fantasy of Flight is the only attraction in the world to offer daily aerial demonstrations (weather permitting) of aircraft in its collection. Most of Weeks' aircraft are airworthy and may be seen flying from one of the facility's grass runways.
Themed "immersion experiences" showcase memorable moments in aviation history, and a self-guided audio tour gives visitors information about aircraft in the collection as well as insider details about featured aviators. Guided tours go behind the scenes to show how craftsmen restore vintage planes. The only attraction in the world that offers daily aerial demonstrations (weather permitting), Fantasy of Flight showcases an aircraft each day based on plane and pilot availability, maintenance schedules and other logistical considerations.
The attraction is open 10 am - 5 pm daily, excluding Thanksgiving & Christmas. Hours may vary occasionally for special events. The Compass Rose Diner is open daily to the public from 11 am - 3 pm serving lunch. The aviation-themed Gift Shop is open daily from 10 am - 5 pm. There is no admission fee required to visit the Diner or Gift Shop.
themed Compass Rose Diner. Just outside the main complex and adjoining tarmac are two grass runways: runway 4/22 (approx. 4500ft) and runway 14/32 (approx. 2500ft). On the north side of the runways are a maintenance hangar and conference facility. A "back lot" to the south of the main complex contains warehouses, storage and restoration facilities. Lake Agnes is also on the property to allow for seaplane operations, with a ramp to taxiway on the eastern shore.
flights, in which the customer sits in the forward open cockpit of the aircraft as a qualified pilot flies the aircraft.
s are in italics.
operations. Guests pass a seated paratrooper in full kit and move forward toward the Jumpmaster
figure standing at the open side hatch. Over the hatch blinks a red "Ready" light which switches to a green "Jump" light as the guest approaches the hatch. Through the hatch is the entry to the attraction.
Other immersion environments include a "sensation of flight" simulator, followed by a celebration of the early days of flight. Then, a passage covered by heavy shrapnel-resistant curtains leads visitors into a full-scale representation of the trench warfare of WWI, complete with aircraft overhead. It was, in part, due to the development of aerial warfare that trench fighting became obsolete.
The final immersion display includes the collection's Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress housed in a large darkened room staged to appear as a winter evening at RAF Horham
, home of the 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy) during WWII. The full-scale diorama
, complete with ground vehicles, outbuildings and landscaping, represents a maintenance area and one of the B-17's engine cowlings and propellers are removed to maintenance stands in front of the aircraft. Guests can enter the plane via a side hatch in the tail, walk through the bomb bay, visit the cockpit, and exit near the nose of the aircraft.
painted with the attraction's name to get the attention of passers by. The aircraft itself is not part of the collection and was, in fact, specifically purchased for its intended purpose as an attraction sign. The airframe is far too corroded to make restoration of the DC-3 feasible. The aircraft was displayed for a period of time in a 'crashed' position, nose down in the ground with a mannequin hanging from the tail wheel, apparently a 'man' evacuating the aircraft with a parachute. The mannequin was dressed up for certain occasions around the year, including Santa Claus
for Christmas
, Uncle Sam
for Independence Day
and a Pilgrim
for Thanksgiving
.
The aircraft in this crashed position received a mixture of criticism and compliments. Some people claimed that the display made the aircraft look bad and set a bad example to airline passengers while others found the position of the aircraft comical, and many people enjoyed guessing what the mannequin would be dressed as next. Currently, the aircraft is in an upright position with the mannequin seated in the opened cockpit hatch on the left hand side.
to evaluate a Douglas C-47 Skytrain for possible purchase. The aircraft has a distinguished war record including sorties during the D-Day
invasion and Operation Market Garden
.
At the end of July, Mr. Weeks went forward with the purchase, his crew conducted minor repairs, and the plane, registration number N1944A was flown back to the United States by Weeks and his crew. Due to weather delays on some legs of the trip, the journey took a total of 11 days and covered approximately 4500 miles from Kemble, UK to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Fans of the aircraft, Mr. Weeks or Fantasy of Flight were able to watch the trip documented daily on Fantasy of Flight's Facebook page as the crew sent back pictures and observations along the way.
The aircraft arrived without incident on August 4, 2011 at Oshkosh. It will be on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum for several months before being moved permanently to the campus of Fantasy of Flight in Polk City.
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
-related attraction in Polk City
Polk City, Florida
Polk City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,516 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,515. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA that takes visitors back to the pioneering days of early flight, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and beyond. The attraction opened in November of 1995, and houses the world's largest private aircraft collection on display. It became the new home for much of owner Kermit Weeks
Kermit Weeks
Kermit Weeks is an aviation enthusiast, pilot, and aircraft collector. He was recently inducted into Florida's Aviation Hall Of Fame for his services to Florida's aviation history.Weeks was twice U.S. National Aerobatic Champion...
' collection of aircraft that were previously housed at the Weeks Air Museum in Tamiami, Florida and were damaged to varying degrees by Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew was the third Category 5 hurricane to make landfall in the United States, after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 and Hurricane Camille in 1969. Andrew was the first named storm and only major hurricane of the otherwise inactive 1992 Atlantic hurricane season...
in 1992.
Fantasy of Flight is the only attraction in the world to offer daily aerial demonstrations (weather permitting) of aircraft in its collection. Most of Weeks' aircraft are airworthy and may be seen flying from one of the facility's grass runways.
Themed "immersion experiences" showcase memorable moments in aviation history, and a self-guided audio tour gives visitors information about aircraft in the collection as well as insider details about featured aviators. Guided tours go behind the scenes to show how craftsmen restore vintage planes. The only attraction in the world that offers daily aerial demonstrations (weather permitting), Fantasy of Flight showcases an aircraft each day based on plane and pilot availability, maintenance schedules and other logistical considerations.
The attraction is open 10 am - 5 pm daily, excluding Thanksgiving & Christmas. Hours may vary occasionally for special events. The Compass Rose Diner is open daily to the public from 11 am - 3 pm serving lunch. The aviation-themed Gift Shop is open daily from 10 am - 5 pm. There is no admission fee required to visit the Diner or Gift Shop.
Facility
The facility features a main attraction complex consisting of two hangars for the aircraft on display, restoration shops, the immersion environments, a gift shop and the Art DecoArt Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
themed Compass Rose Diner. Just outside the main complex and adjoining tarmac are two grass runways: runway 4/22 (approx. 4500ft) and runway 14/32 (approx. 2500ft). On the north side of the runways are a maintenance hangar and conference facility. A "back lot" to the south of the main complex contains warehouses, storage and restoration facilities. Lake Agnes is also on the property to allow for seaplane operations, with a ramp to taxiway on the eastern shore.
Aircraft operations
In addition to the daily aerial demonstrations, Waldo Wright's Flying Service also operates a Boeing PT-17 Stearman and a New Standard D-25 from the Fantasy of Flight collection. The Boeing Stearman is used for 30 minute long 'hands-on experience' flights, in which the customer takes control of the aircraft at some point during the flight. The New Standard D-25 is used for 15 minute BarnstormingBarnstorming
Barnstorming was a popular form of entertainment in the 1920s in which stunt pilots would perform tricks with airplanes, either individually or in groups called a flying circus. Barnstorming was the first major form of civil aviation in the history of flight...
flights, in which the customer sits in the forward open cockpit of the aircraft as a qualified pilot flies the aircraft.
Collection
The Fantasy of Flight collection contains the following aircraft, although the aircraft are not always present at the museum. Some are on loan to other facilities, others may be flown to events, still others may be off display for maintenance or restoration. Most of the collection is on display in the main attraction complex hangars, with much of the balance housed in the maintenance hangar which is on the Behind The Scenes tram tour. (Source: Fantasy of Flight Official Website) Tail numberTail number
A tail number refers to an identification number painted on an aircraft, frequently on the tail.Tail numbers can represent:* An aircraft registration number * United States military aircraft serials-See also:...
s are in italics.
- Antonov An-2Antonov An-2The Antonov An-2 is a single-engine biplane utility/agricultural aircraft designed in the USSR in 1946...
- Avro CadetAvro Cadet|-See also:-External links:**...
- This is one of eleven remaining Australian Cadets and one of only four which are still flying today. - Bachem Ba 349 Natter - reproduction
- Barber ValkyrieHoratio BarberCaptain Horatio Claude Barber was an early British aviation pioneer and First World War flight instructor. In 1911 he flew the first cargo flight in Britain, transporting electric light bulbs from Shoreham to Hove...
- reproduction - Bell 47G HelicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
- Bell P-63 Kingcobra - On display at the Florida Air MuseumFlorida Air MuseumThe Florida Air Museum is designated as Florida’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center.” It features a dynamic display of the best examples aviation has to offer including one-of-a-kind designs, classics, ultra-lights, antiques and warbirds....
. - Benoist XIVBenoist XIV-References:* * * * Servis, Richard. "". Non Fiction Reader Magazine* from St Petersburg Museum of History executive director Will Michaels printed in the St Petersburg Times 2 February 2004.* -External links:* *...
- Model on loan courtesy of Florida Aviation Historical Society. - Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress - On display as 237994, "Piccadilly Princess."
- Brown B-2 RacerBrown B-2 Racer-References:NotesBibliography...
- reproduction - Original aircraft destroyed in crash in 1939. - Bucker BestmannBücker Bü 181|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Donald, David and Lake, Jon. . Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing, Single volume edition, 1996. ISBN 1-874023-95-6....
- One of two remaining flying originals. - Bucker JungmannBücker Bü 131|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgeman, Leonard. “The Bücker Bü 131B “Jungmann”.” Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946. ISBN 1-85170-493-0....
- Bucker JungmeisterBücker Bü 133|-See also:-Bibliography:* König, Erwin. Bücker Bü 133 "Jungmeister" . D-86669 Stengelheim, Germany: Unitec Medienvertrieb e.K.,...
- On display in the colors of Romanian aerobatic pilot, Alexandru PapanăAlexandru PapanaAlexandru "Alex" Papană was a Romanian-born American aviator and bobsledder who competed from the early 1930s to the late 1940s.-Bobsleigh career:...
. - Chance-Vought F4U Corsair - On display as Bu97286/G5/"Angel Of Okinawa."
- Cierva C.30A AutogyroAutogyroAn autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator
- Consolidated PBY 5A Catalina
- Curtiss Junior
- Curtiss Model DCurtiss Model D|-See also:-External links:...
- reproduction - Curtiss TP-40N
- de Havilland MosquitoDe Havilland MosquitoThe de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
- On long-term loan to EAA AirVenture MuseumEAA AirVenture MuseumThe EAA AirVenture Museum is a museum dedicated to the preservation and display of historical and experimental aircraft located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin adjacent to the Wittman Regional Airport. Paul Poberezny proposed the idea of the EAA Air Museum-Air Education center in August 1958. The current...
in Oshkosh, WisconsinOshkosh, WisconsinAs of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
. - Douglas B-23 Dragon - One of eight remaining in the world.
- Douglas C-47 Skytrain - N1944A - On display at EAA AirVenture MuseumEAA AirVenture MuseumThe EAA AirVenture Museum is a museum dedicated to the preservation and display of historical and experimental aircraft located in Oshkosh, Wisconsin adjacent to the Wittman Regional Airport. Paul Poberezny proposed the idea of the EAA Air Museum-Air Education center in August 1958. The current...
in Oshkosh, WisconsinOshkosh, WisconsinAs of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
. - Fieseler Fi-156 StorchFieseler Fi 156The Fieseler Fi 156 Storch was a small German liaison aircraft built by Fieseler before and during World War II, and production continued in other countries into the 1950s for the private market...
- Fieseler Fi-103 V-1 Flying Bomb
- Focke Wulf FW-44 StieglitzFocke-Wulf Fw 44-External links:* * * * * * *...
- One of only 50 left in the world. - Fokker D.VIIIFokker D.VIII-See also:-References:* Weyl, A.R. Fokker: The Creative Years. 1988. ISBN 0-851778-17-8....
- reproduction - Fokker Dr.IFokker Dr.IThe Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918...
- reproduction (the last original example was destroyed in a bombing raid in WW2). - Ford 5AT TrimotorFord TrimotorThe Ford Trimotor was an American three-engined transport plane that was first produced in 1925 by the companies of Henry Ford and that continued to be produced until June 7, 1933. Throughout its time in production, a total of 199 Ford Trimotors were produced...
- The "City of Philadelphia" which appeared in Indiana Jones and the Temple of DoomIndiana Jones and the Temple of DoomIndiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a 1984 American adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is the second film in the Indiana Jones franchise and prequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark . After arriving in India, Indiana Jones is asked by a desperate village to find a mystical stone...
. - GeeBee Model ZGranville Brothers AircraftGranville Brothers Aircraft was an aircraft manufacturer in operation from 1929 until its bankruptcy in 1934. The firm was located at the Springfield Airport in Springfield, Massachusetts...
- NR77V - reproduction - Original aircraft destroyed in crash in 1931. - GeeBee R2 Super SportsterGranville Brothers AircraftGranville Brothers Aircraft was an aircraft manufacturer in operation from 1929 until its bankruptcy in 1934. The firm was located at the Springfield Airport in Springfield, Massachusetts...
- NR2101 - reproduction - Original aircraft destroyed in crash in 1933. - Grumman F3F Flying BarrelGrumman F3F|-Popular culture:The F3F was featured as an "experimental fighter" in Warner Bros's Wings of the Navy .The F3F-2 was featured in the 1940 film Flight Command, starring Robert Taylor as a pilot whose work developing instrument landing systems helps his lost squadron return to NAS North...
- One of four remaining. - Grumman FM-2 Wildcat
- Grumman J2F DuckGrumman J2F Duck|-Popular culture:* A J2F Duck was used in the 1971 film Murphy's War, which includes a spectacular three-minute rough water takeoff scene along with numerous flying and aerobatic sequences...
- N1214N - Hiller Hornet - The 13th of the 17 aircraft built and currently the only flyable example.
- Laird Super SolutionSuper Solution-References: from the...
- reproduction - The only flying example of this aircraft in the world. - Lockheed L-1649A StarlinerLockheed ConstellationThe Lockheed Constellation was a propeller-driven airliner powered by four 18-cylinder radial Wright R-3350 engines. It was built by Lockheed between 1943 and 1958 at its Burbank, California, USA, facility. A total of 856 aircraft were produced in numerous models, all distinguished by a...
- N974R - Lockheed VegaLockheed Vega|-See also:-References:NotesCitationsBibliography* Allen, Richard Sanders. Revolution in the Sky: Those Fabulous Lockheeds, The Pilots Who Flew Them. Brattleboro, Vermont: The Stephen Greene Press, 1964....
- One of five remaining. - Martin B-26 Marauder - One of only six remaining, and the only airworthy one.
- Mitsubishi A6M Zero
- Morane A-1 - One of four known.
- Morane/Brock MonoplaneMorane-Saulnier H-References:...
- Nieuport 17Nieuport 17|-Specifications :-See also:-Bibliography:* Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137–153....
- reproduction - Appeared in the movie Flyboys. - Stampe et Vertongen SV.4Stampe SV.4-Bibliography:* Pacco, John. "Stampe & Vertongen SV-4B" Belgisch Leger/Armee Belge: Het Militair Vliegwezen/l'Aeronautique Militaire 1930-1940. Aartselaar, Belgium, 2003, pp. 85-86. ISBN 90-801136-6-2....
- North American AT-6D TexanNorth American T-6 TexanThe North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s...
- On display in the colors of the Women Airforce Service PilotsWomen Airforce Service PilotsThe Women Airforce Service Pilots and its predecessor groups the Women's Flying Training Detachment and the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron were pioneering organizations of civilian female pilots employed to fly military aircraft under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces...
. - North American B-25 Mitchell - N1943J - On display as "Apache Princess."
- North American P-51C Mustang - N1204 - On display as 42-103831 "Ina the Macon Belle" of Tuskegee AirmenTuskegee AirmenThe Tuskegee Airmen is the popular name of a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Formally, they were the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the U.S. Army Air Corps....
pilot Lee Archer. - North American P-51D Mustang - N921 - On display as 45-11507 "Cripes a Mighty 3rd."
- Piper L-4J GrasshopperPiper J-3The Piper J-3 Cub is a small, simple, light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. With tandem seating, it was intended for flight training but became one of the most popular and best-known light aircraft of all time...
- On display as tail number 54883. - Polikarpov Po-2Polikarpov Po-2The Polikarpov Po-2 served as a general-purpose Soviet biplane, nicknamed Kukuruznik for maize; thus, 'maize duster' or 'crop duster'), NATO reporting name "Mule"...
- Republic P-47 Thunderbolt - In storage, still in the original shipping crate.
- Ryan NYP - reproduction - One of about a dozen replicas of "The Spirit of St. Louis" of Charles LindberghCharles LindberghCharles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
. - Short SunderlandShort SunderlandThe Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
- N814ML - The last airworthy passenger four-engine flying boat in the world. Other airworthy four-engine flying boats include Martin Mars fire-fighting water bombers. - Spirit of PeaceSpirit Of PeaceSpirit of Peace is the fifteenth album by Popol Vuh. It was originally released in 1985 on Cicada. The first track was used by Werner Herzog as original motion picture soundtrack for his documentary The Dark Glow of the Mountains about Reinhold Messner.- Track listing :All tracks composed by...
Rozière BalloonRozière balloonThe Rozière balloon is a type of hybrid balloon that has separate chambers for a non-heated lifting gas as well as a heated lifting gas...
Capsule - On display at the Florida Air MuseumFlorida Air MuseumThe Florida Air Museum is designated as Florida’s “Official Aviation Museum and Education Center.” It features a dynamic display of the best examples aviation has to offer including one-of-a-kind designs, classics, ultra-lights, antiques and warbirds....
. - Standard E-1Standard E-1|-See also:-References:* Donald, David, ed. Encyclopedia of World Aircraft, p. 854, "Standard aircraft". Etobicoke, Ontario: Prospero Books, 1997.* -External links:*...
- One of two remaining in the world. - Standard J-1 - Appeared in the films The Spirit of St. LouisThe Spirit of St. Louis (film)The Spirit of St. Louis is a 1957 biographical film directed by Billy Wilder and starring James Stewart as Charles Lindbergh. The screenplay was adapted by Charles Lederer, Wendell Mayes, and Billy Wilder from Lindbergh's 1953 autobiographical account of his historic flight, which won the Pulitzer...
and The Great Waldo PepperThe Great Waldo PepperThe Great Waldo Pepper is a 1975 drama film directed, produced, and co-written by George Roy Hill. It stars Robert Redford as a discontented airplane pilot in the years 1926-1931....
. - Stinson Trimotor - One of only two remaining.
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk16Supermarine SpitfireThe Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
- N476TE - Thomas-Morse Scout - One of five remaining.
- Trautman Road Air - A flying car prototype in running condition.
- Travel Air 4000Travel Air 4000|-References:NotesBibliography* * * -See also:*Aerial operations in the Chaco War...
- On display in U.S. Mail markings.
Immersion environments
Visitors walk through several immersion environments as they enter the attraction. From the lobby, guests walk into the interior of a WWII-era Douglas C-47 Skytrain complete with lighting and sound effects as if the aircraft were conducting paratrooperParatrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
operations. Guests pass a seated paratrooper in full kit and move forward toward the Jumpmaster
Jumpmaster
Jumpmasters are the expert Paratroopers in an Airborne unit who train and teach the military techniques for jumping from airplanes. They are responsible for transforming Soldiers who enter Army Airborne School into Paratroopers and managing Airborne jump operations in Airborne units across all...
figure standing at the open side hatch. Over the hatch blinks a red "Ready" light which switches to a green "Jump" light as the guest approaches the hatch. Through the hatch is the entry to the attraction.
Other immersion environments include a "sensation of flight" simulator, followed by a celebration of the early days of flight. Then, a passage covered by heavy shrapnel-resistant curtains leads visitors into a full-scale representation of the trench warfare of WWI, complete with aircraft overhead. It was, in part, due to the development of aerial warfare that trench fighting became obsolete.
The final immersion display includes the collection's Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress housed in a large darkened room staged to appear as a winter evening at RAF Horham
RAF Horham
RAF Horham is a World War II era airfield in England. The field is located next to the village of Horham, England, and 4 miles SE of Eye in Suffolk. The large site straddled the parishes of Denham, Horham and Hoxne.-USAAF use:...
, home of the 95th Bombardment Group (Heavy) during WWII. The full-scale diorama
Diorama
The word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
, complete with ground vehicles, outbuildings and landscaping, represents a maintenance area and one of the B-17's engine cowlings and propellers are removed to maintenance stands in front of the aircraft. Guests can enter the plane via a side hatch in the tail, walk through the bomb bay, visit the cockpit, and exit near the nose of the aircraft.
Douglas DC-3
Standing along the side of Interstate 4 near the exit for Fantasy of Flight is a Douglas DC-3Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
painted with the attraction's name to get the attention of passers by. The aircraft itself is not part of the collection and was, in fact, specifically purchased for its intended purpose as an attraction sign. The airframe is far too corroded to make restoration of the DC-3 feasible. The aircraft was displayed for a period of time in a 'crashed' position, nose down in the ground with a mannequin hanging from the tail wheel, apparently a 'man' evacuating the aircraft with a parachute. The mannequin was dressed up for certain occasions around the year, including Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
for Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
, Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam
Uncle Sam is a common national personification of the American government originally used during the War of 1812. He is depicted as a stern elderly man with white hair and a goatee beard...
for Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
and a Pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
.
The aircraft in this crashed position received a mixture of criticism and compliments. Some people claimed that the display made the aircraft look bad and set a bad example to airline passengers while others found the position of the aircraft comical, and many people enjoyed guessing what the mannequin would be dressed as next. Currently, the aircraft is in an upright position with the mannequin seated in the opened cockpit hatch on the left hand side.
The Journey of N1944A
In the summer of 2011, Kermit Weeks and a crew from Fantasy of Flight flew to Cotswold Airport in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to evaluate a Douglas C-47 Skytrain for possible purchase. The aircraft has a distinguished war record including sorties during the D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
invasion and Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
.
At the end of July, Mr. Weeks went forward with the purchase, his crew conducted minor repairs, and the plane, registration number N1944A was flown back to the United States by Weeks and his crew. Due to weather delays on some legs of the trip, the journey took a total of 11 days and covered approximately 4500 miles from Kemble, UK to Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Fans of the aircraft, Mr. Weeks or Fantasy of Flight were able to watch the trip documented daily on Fantasy of Flight's Facebook page as the crew sent back pictures and observations along the way.
The aircraft arrived without incident on August 4, 2011 at Oshkosh. It will be on display at the EAA AirVenture Museum for several months before being moved permanently to the campus of Fantasy of Flight in Polk City.
See also
- Planes of FamePlanes of FamePlanes of Fame Air Museum is an aviation museum located in Chino, California, and Valle, Arizona. The museum has many flying and static aircraft, along with multiple rare examples under restoration.-History:...
- Commemorative Air Force, in Midland, TexasMidland, TexasMidland is a city in and the county seat of Midland County, Texas, United States, on the Southern Plains of the state's western area. A small portion of the city extends into Martin County. As of 2010, the population of Midland was 111,147. It is the principal city of the Midland, Texas...
. - Battle of Britain Memorial FlightBattle of Britain Memorial FlightThe Battle of Britain Memorial Flight is a Royal Air Force flight which provides an aerial display group comprising an Avro Lancaster, a Supermarine Spitfire and a Hawker Hurricane...
at RAF ConingsbyRAF ConingsbyRAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain Martin Sampson since 10 December 2010.-Operational units:...
, UK - Shuttleworth CollectionShuttleworth CollectionThe Shuttleworth Collection is an aeronautical and automotive museum located at the Old Warden airfield in Bedfordshire, England. It is one of the most prestigious in the world due to the variety of old and well-preserved aircraft.- History :...
at Old WardenOld WardenOld Warden is a village and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, just west of the town of Biggleswade. It has a population of 275. The village grew up under the protection of the Cistercian Wardon or Warden Abbey nearby....
near BiggleswadeBiggleswadeBiggleswade is a market town and civil parish located on the River Ivel in Bedfordshire, England. It is well served by transport routes, being close to the A1 road between London and the North, as well as having a railway station on the main rail link North from London .-Geography:Located about 40...
in BedfordshireBedfordshireBedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; - Champlin Fighter Collection at the Seattle Museum of FlightMuseum of FlightThe Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum at King County International Airport , south of downtown Seattle, Washington. It was established in 1965 and is fully accredited by the American Association of Museums...
(formerly housed at Mesa, ArizonaMesa, ArizonaAccording to the 2010 Census, the racial composition of Mesa was as follows:* White: 77.1% * Hispanic or Latino : 26.54%* Black or African American: 3.5%* Two or more races: 3.4%* Native American: 2.4%...
); - The Lone Star Flight MuseumLone Star Flight MuseumThe Lone Star Flight Museum, located in Galveston, Texas, USA, is an aerospace museum that displays more than 40 historically significant aircraft and many hundreds of artifacts related to the history of flight. The museum's collection is rare because most of the aircraft are flyable...
in Galveston, TexasGalveston, TexasGalveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
. - The Yankee Air MuseumYankee Air MuseumThe Yankee Air Museum is an aviation museum located near Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan. The museum has a small fleet of flying aircraft and a collection of static display aircraft outdoors.-History:...
in Ypsilanti, MichiganYpsilanti, MichiganYpsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
. - The Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum in St Louis, MissouriMissouriMissouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...