Three World War II-era planes U.S. military during its World War II campaigns in Europe and the Pacific will be on display at the Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport from 9 a.m. to noon today. P-J photos by Gavin Paterniti

Vintage aircraft far removed from their glory days in the early to mid-1940s are now on full display at the Chautauqua County-Jamestown Airport at Robert H. Jackson Field.

Representations of three planes utilized by the U.S. military during its World War II campaigns in Europe and the Pacific touched down in Jamestown on Monday before a sizable crowd of onlookers.

As part of the Collings Foundation’s “Wings of Freedom” tour, the three World War II-era planes — which arrived in Jamestown Monday — will remain on display through noon today. Included in this year’s tour are: a consolidated B-24 Liberator “Witchcraft” World War II heavy bomber; a B-25 Mitchell “Tondelayo” bomber; and a P-51 Mustang fighter. A B-17 Flying Fortress “Nine O Nine” was also intended to be displayed, but was unable to make the trip due to electrical issues.

The planes’ visit to Jamestown represents an opportunity to view these exceedingly rare aircraft up close and personal. The B-24J is the sole remaining example of its type flying in the world, the B-25 is best known for being used in the daring “Doolittle raid” over Tokyo in 1942, and the P-51 Mustang was just awarded Grand Champion for restoration at EAA Oshkosh AirVenture.

The “Wings of Freedom” tour travels the nation as a flying tribute to the flight crews who flew them; the ground crews who maintained them; the workers who built them; the soldiers, sailors and airmen they helped protect; and the citizens and families who share the freedom they helped preserve.

Several area veterans and World War II enthusiasts visited the airport Tuesday to take onboard tours of the aircraft and even get some sky time. One such visitor was Gary Neillands of Glen Cove, who said his father flew a B-17 and B-24 during the war, and who’s uncle Richard flew a P-51 during American involvement in the Korean War. Unfortunately, Richard went missing in 1951 while serving overseas and was presumed dead in 1953.

Neillands’ visit included a flight on the P-51 for the first time. He said he wanted to experience what it was like to fly in a P-51 as his uncle Richard did more than six decades ago.

“I paid a lot of money to be able to spend an hour up in this plane, but it was quite an hour,” Neillands said on the tarmac. “I wish my dad could’ve been here. When I went up and the pilot asked where I wanted to go I told him ‘Take me to Pyongyang for a little payback. Here come the Neillands boys again.'”

Ground tours are available to visitors at $10 for adults and $5 for children. Thirty-minute flights are $450 for the B-24, and $400 for the B-25. Flight training aboard the P-51 is $2,200 for a half hour and $3,200 for a full hour.

The planes will be on display at the Jamestown airport from 9 a.m. to noon today.

For more information, contact Hunter Chaney, director of marketing for the Collings Foundation, at 800-568-8924 or hchaney@collingsfoundation.org.