Liberators, Fortresses, and Mustangs! OH MY!

"We never see public schools in here.  Just home schoolers and Christian school groups."
- Robert D. McDonald, President of the Museum of Military Memorabilia in Naples, FL

On Wednesday, February 5th Hunter, Levi and I had the privilege of visiting the Museum of Military Memorabilia located in the Naples Airport.  They had several displays filled with models of tanks, aircraft, vehicles and weapons used by our military in various wars. 

To say that Hunter thought it was pretty cool stuff is an understatement.  I was thrilled to discover all this 2nd-grader-history-fanatic-eye-candy right under our noses.  I had no idea that our dinky, little airport had this inside!  I'd never been there before this.    There were various members of the board there who told us they were delighted to see a group of homeschooling moms  bringing their children to the museum to experience their displays and special WWII fighter plane exhibit.

 

The president of the board was there and told us that they never see public schools coming through their museum.  Mostly homeschoolers and Christian schools.  As my homeschooling mom friends and I were talking with him, we all lamented the fact that public schools are re-writing the history of our country.  They're not doing a good job of teaching children of the great sacrifice, tragedy, and hardship millions of people have endured for our country's freedom.  It's a travesty.  

 

I am thrilled and proud to be a homeschooling mom who is determined for my boys to learn as much of our country's history as possible.

The main event at the airport that day were the three, World War II aircraft that flew in for three days for people to walk through.  The experience was humbling and sobering.  The three planes we saw were:

•  A B-24 Liberator
• A B-17 Flying Fortress
• A P-51 Mustang

The B-24 and B-17 were much bigger than I imagined they would be.  The B-24 was the biggest of the three planes.  It was big and looming and impressive. 

This veteran flew a B-24 Liberator in World War II just like the one we toured. 

It was an honor to meet him. 

It was amazing touring this airplane.

Hunter enjoyed giving the guns a try.

My friend, Kara, watched Levi for us as Hunter and I toured the airplane. 

The face of a boy in heaven. 

 Christopher, Patrick, Nicholas, and Hunter made the precarious climb onto the seat area above this open, hatch-like area in the bottom of the plane.  It was tricky getting up there and was very sobering thinking of all the soldiers that must have sat in that kind of seat awaiting the signal to parachute out. 

A gunman's hatch.  It was mind-blowing to imagine men sitting in these cramped, little spheres and shooting other planes. 

Walking through the tight squeeze to the front area of the plane. 

 

The cockpit

 

The other plane we got to walk through was the B-17 Flying Fortress.  

It was a little smaller than the B-24, but still big in my opinion!

This was actually the first plane we toured and we waited in line for well over 45 minutes.

 
Probably closer to an hour. 

It made me proud to be an American just being in the midst of these planes!

A bomb attached to the bottom of the B-17. 

I think this was the cockpit, but it might have been a gunner area.  Not sure.

More tight squeezing walking from one end of the plane to the other.

Hunter's mind = blown.

Another one of those little, round capsules where gunners would sit and shoot in.  Crazy!

Here's the P-51 Mustang they were giving rides in. 

If you had a spare 2 grand or so, you could ride it in!  :)  We passed.

It was a cool-looking, little plane.

 Levi and Christopher's little brother, Jayden, hung out like champs in their strollers.

Hunter and his buddy since babyhood, Christopher, checking out a WW II jeep.

Hunter and a teenager dressed as a parachuter from WW II.  

Hunter said the helmet was really heavy!

I am so thankful we got a chance to go see these planes. 

What a privilege and honor it is to be an American.

And what a privilege it is to be able to teach my son the things I think are important for him to know.