'Flying museum' World War II planes draw hundreds to Venice

VENICE -- Paul Porfrey arrived at the Venice Municipal Airport early Thursday afternoon to see the World War II planes on display over the weekend.

The Queens, N.Y., resident was born after World War II but said his interest in the planes is based on what they did for America.

"I'm not a vet," he said, "but my father is a World War II Navy vet. It's sort of a memorial to my father."

While the B-17, B-24 and P-51 arrived in the early afternoon, the B-25 Mitchell was still in New Smyrna Beach south of Daytona Beach, according to Paul Reidy, a pilot for the Collings Foundation qualified to fly the B-17 and B-24.

It won't make it to Venice, he said.

The old warbirds really draw a crowd, Reidy said. A clerk estimated about 500 people paid admission to walk in and around the B-17 and B-24 after they arrived from Fort Myers and were set up for display.

The P-51 was available for flights and, soon after arriving, took off with a passenger.

Porfrey has family connections to Manatee County. He said he made a donation to the Collings Foundation years ago that enabled him to get free plane rides for life. He's flown on the planes, given flights to family members and even raffled a couple of flights off to benefit veterans charities.

On one warbird flight: "We scattered my parents' ashes from the plane over Bradenton Beach," he said. "When we told the others on the flight what we were doing, there wasn't a dry eye on the plane. It was a flight to remember."

John Ackerman drove down from Ocala to see the planes. He said he flew in the Eighth Air Force, which the B-17s flew in during WWII, but around the early Vietnam War years from 1963-65.

"The Mighty Eighth," he said with pride, pointing at his ballcap. He served in an air-refueling squadron, he said.

There were a few children around, including Greydon Titus, 12, with his grandfather, John Whalen, 84, of Toronto.

"He flies his own drone," Whalen said of his grandson.

"It interests me that a great hunk of metal can fly," Greydon said after touring the B-24. He hasn't decided what career to pursue, but said it might include drones.

Whalen was amazed the warbirds look so big on the outside and are so small inside. Maneuvering inside the planes on the ground is a challenge, as people bounce off parts of the interior and each other.

There are still seats available for flights this weekend, Reidy said.

A few folks walking around sported "stick-on" boarding passes for the 4 p.m. flights.

"I'm getting to where I better do it now," said Bill Hatton of Brandon as he walked under the wing of the B-17 and sought out others who would be flying with him.

Jack Richards of Michigan, now staying in Sarasota, said he passed up a chance to fly in a B-17 10 years ago, and wasn't about to do it again.

"How many people get a chance to fly on a B-17?" he asked. "My dad was in World War II. He was a Seabee with the Navy."

Richards said he read a lot about the people who served in World War II.

"I have a lot of admiration for them," he said.

A unifying thought for many attendees was the nation owes its freedom to these planes and the brave crews who flew them into combat. So many gave their lives for their country.

The planes are a connection to friends and relatives of "The Greatest Generation," Reidy said.

Many said seeing the planes and flying on them is a lot better than seeing them roped off in a hangar with "Do Not Touch" signs around them.

The service and sacrifices of the men who flew the planes is hardly mentioned in schools now, which has to change, Reidy said.

Bringing the planes to the people is one way to get the next generation to recognize and appreciate the efforts of their elders.

"It's a flying museum," Reidy said.

This story was originally published February 11, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "'Flying museum' World War II planes draw hundreds to Venice ."