Collings Foundation facts for kids
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Collings Foundation's B-24J, TP-51C and B-17G
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| Established | 1979 |
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| Location | Stow, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Founder | Bob Collings |
The Collings Foundation is a special non-profit group in Stow, Massachusetts. Its main goal is to save and show old cars, trucks, and airplanes to the public. They have a small museum at a private airfield in Stow. This museum opens for special events and for groups who book tours.
The American Heritage Museum is also on the foundation's land. It has a large collection of military vehicles. The Collings Foundation also has another base in Houston, Texas. This base mainly holds its Korean War and Vietnam War jet planes and helicopters.
The Collings Foundation used to have two traveling shows of old military aircraft. These were called the Wings of Freedom Tour and The Vietnam Memorial Flight. The Wings of Freedom tour stopped in 2023. This happened after the organization decided to stop flying their World War II planes.
The Collings Foundation used to offer rides in vintage warbird planes to people. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stopped these flights. This decision came after a serious accident involving the foundation's B-17G plane in 2019.
History of the Foundation
The Collings Foundation started in 1979. It was founded by Robert F. Collings and his wife, Caroline Collings. As of April 2020, Caroline Collings was still the financial director. Their son, Rob Collings, is the CEO and main pilot for the foundation.
Building the American Heritage Museum
On July 4, 2013, another group called the Military Vehicle Technology Foundation gave all its military vehicles to the Collings Foundation. This collection was located in Portola Valley, California. A year later, the Collings Foundation sold about 120 of these vehicles. They used the money to help build a new museum at their main location. The remaining vehicles are now the main part of the American Heritage Museum in Stow, Massachusetts.
In 2015, the local planning board in Stow had questions about the new museum. They needed to make sure it was for education. This was important because the planned 60,000 square foot museum was to be built on land meant for homes. The planning board first said no in August 2015. But they reached an agreement in July 2017. The museum was finished in 2018. It had a special "preview" opening in October 2018 and fully opened in May 2019.
Aircraft Acquisitions and Changes
In May 2015, the foundation got 9 of 25 airplanes from the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. They helped that museum out of financial trouble.
In October 2019, one of the organization's B-17G Flying Fortress planes crashed. Seven of the thirteen people on board died. In March 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stopped the organization from carrying passengers. The FAA noted "maintenance problems" and a lack of a "culture of safety" before the crash.
In 2023, the foundation traded a Stearman PT-17 plane. They exchanged it with the National Museum of the United States Air Force for a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The next month, an original Nieuport 28 plane owned by the foundation was damaged in an accident. Later in 2023, the foundation announced it would stop its Wings of Freedom tour. They also decided to stop flying their aircraft.
Collection
Aircraft Collection
Airworthy Aircraft
These planes can still fly.
- Bell UH-1E Iroquois
- Bleriot XI – a copy of the original
- Boeing PT-17 Kaydet
- Boeing PT-17 Kaydet
- Cessna UC-78 Bobcat
- Consolidated B-24J Liberator "Witchcraft"
- Curtiss Headless Pusher
- Curtiss Model F
- Curtiss P-40B Tomahawk
- Curtiss TP-40N Warhawk
- Douglas A-1E Skyraider
- Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk
- Grumman FM-2 Wildcat
- Grumman TBM-3E Avenger
- Grumman F6F-3 Hellcat
- Lockheed P-38L Lightning "Pudgy V"
- Lockheed T-33
- McDonnell Douglas F-4D Phantom II
- Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe "White 1" – a copy
- Morane-Saulnier MS.500 Criquet – painted like a Fi 156
- North American A-36 Mustang
- North American AT-6 Texan
- North American B-25J Mitchell "Tondelayo"
- North American F-100F Super Sabre
- North American TF-51D Mustang "Toulouse Nuts"
- North American TP-51C Mustang "Betty Jane"
- Supermarine Spitfire IX
- Vought F4U-5NL Corsair
- Waco UPF-7
Static Aircraft
These planes are on display and do not fly.
- Lockheed T-33
- Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10
- Wright Model EX "Vin Fiz Flyer" – a copy
Aircraft Under Restoration
These planes are being fixed up to be displayed or flown again.
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress 44-83785
- Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina
- Douglas A-26B Invader
- Fairchild PT-19
- Focke-Wulf Fw 190 F-8 "White One", Werknummer 931 862
- Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-9 "White Two"
- Grumman G-21 Goose
- Nieuport 28
- Piper L-4H Grasshopper 43-30426 "Rosie the Rocketer" (flown by then-Major Charles Carpenter in France, 1944).
Automobile Collection
Brass Era Cars
These are very old cars from the early 1900s.
- 1901 Oldsmobile Curved Dash
- 1904 Franklin Type A Roadster
- 1906 Pope Waverly Electric Carriage, original and not restored
- 1906 Stanley Steamer Touring Car (20 hp)
- 1908 Cadillac Open Roadster Runabout
- 1913 Ford Model T Touring Car
- 1913 Mercer Speedster Raceabout (copy)
- 1914 Stutz Bearcat
- 1915 Buick Touring Car
- 1916 Chalmers Model 120 Sedan
- 1916 Chevrolet Baby Grand Touring
- 1916 Oldsmobile Model 44 Touring Car
- 1919 Willys-Sterns Knight Touring Car
Roaring 20s Cars
Cars from the 1920s.
- 1921 Marmon Model 34 Speedster
- 1924 Ford Model T
- 1926 Chevrolet Woody Depot Hack
Classic Era Cars
Cars from the late 1920s and 1930s.
- 1927 Rolls-Royce Springfield Phantom 1 Phaeton
- 1928 Packard Model 533 Sedan
- 1928 Chrysler Model 72 Roadster
- 1928 Packard Phaeton
- 1928 Pierce Arrow Series 81 Limousine
- 1929 LaSalle Model 2H
- 1929 Pontiac Model F Cabriolet
- 1930 Cord Model L29 Convertible Coupe
- 1931 Studebaker President
- 1932 Duesenberg SJ Dual-Cowl Phaeton
- 1935 Packard Model 1208, Convertible Sedan
- 1936 Auburn Boat-Tail Speedster
- 1937 Cord Model 812 Phaeton
Celebrity Cars
- 1940 Cadillac Limousine V-16, once owned by a famous person, original and not restored.
Indianapolis 500 Race Cars
These cars raced in the famous Indianapolis 500.
- 1961 Trevis/Offy – a team car, like the one that won in 1961. Raced at Indy from 1961–1964.
- 1972 Gurney Eagle/Turbo Offy – a team car. Raced at Indy from 1972–1974.
- 1979 Porsche Indy – a factory race car that set many records before it was no longer allowed to race.
- 1980 Penske PC-9/Cosworth DFX – Mario Andretti's winning car from the Michigan 500. Also won with Rick Mears.
- 1987 March/Buick – Rich Vogler's best car at Indy.
- 1995 Lola/Ford XB – Michael Andretti's winning car.
Other Race Cars
- 1996 Rilley & Scott MkIII/Ford, winner of the 1997 Rolex 24 hours of Daytona race.
- 1990 Nissan 300ZX – a factory team car that won the 24 hours of Daytona and 12 hours of Sebring.
- 1993 Porsche RS America – raced in the Rolex 24 and Sebring 12 hour races.
Sprint Cars: 1920s–WWII
These are powerful race cars for short races.
- 1932 Crager-Ford
- 1932 Gemsa Ford
- 1936 Thomas Spl.
- 1937 Offy 270 ci.
- 1937 Rutherford – won over 300 races!
- 1937 Ranger-Aircraft Engine
- Drayer-Ford
- Riley Four Port
Sprint Cars: Post WWII-1950s
- 1950 Ford/Offy
Midget Racers: 1930s-1950s
These are small, fast race cars.
- 1936 Sowers – a rare Offy type
- Caruso-Offy 110 ci. supercharged by Maserati
- Studebaker
- Elto Outboard
- Indian
- (3) Ford V-8/60
Military Vehicles
The foundation has a large collection of vehicles used by armies.
- 1917 Vim "Camp Devens Express"
- 1916 Ford Model T ambulance
- 1942 Ford Jeep, GPW Willys MB
- 1943 White Motor Co. M16 half-track
- M1917 6-ton tank (American version of the Renault FT)
- Panzer I. A
- Panzer V "Panther" Ausf. A. – the only working Panther in the USA
- Mercedes G4 staff car
- Vickers Mk. IV light tank
- Sherman turret trainer
- M3 Lee
- Matilda MK.II tank
- Sd.Kfz. 10 1-ton – German half-track for carrying people or pulling things
- Leichter Panzerspähwagen Sd.Kfz. 222 armored scout car – Germany
- BMW R75 motorcycle and side car
- M3A1 scout car
- M5A1 Stuart light tank
- VW Kübelwagen Type 82
- Schwimmwagen Type 166
- T-34/76 Tank
- Sd.Kfz. 251/1 Ausf. D armored half-track
- Sd.Kfz. 2 Kleines Kettenkrad "track-cycle"
- LCVP "Higgins Boat"
- Cromwell I tank
- Jagdpanzer 38t Hetzer
- M4A3E2 Sherman "Jumbo" tank
- M16 MGMC half-track
- M8 Scott
- M22 Locust airborne tank
- M18 Hellcat tank destroyer
- A34 Comet
- IS-2 Iosef Stalin
- SU-100
- Sd.Kfz. 8 12-ton German half-track
- Kommandogerät 38
- V-1 "JB-2 Loon"
- M8 Greyhound
- LVT(A)-4 landing vehicle
- M29C Weasel
- Daimler Dingo Mk1
- M3 Gun Motor Carriage
- M7 Priest SPH
- M26A1 Pershing
- M24 Chaffee
- M39 armored utility vehicle
- M2A1 Bradley fighting vehicle
- ZPU-23 anti-aircraft gun
- M41 Walker Bulldog
- M48 Patton
- PT-76 amphibious tank
- T-72M
- M551 Sheridan
- M60A1
- T-55
- MAZ-7310/Scud-B missile launcher
- ZSU-23-4 SHILKA anti-aircraft tank
- 2S1 GVOZDIKA
- M1A1 Abrams tank
- QinetiQ TALON robot
- iRobot PackBot
Trucks and Farm Vehicles
- 1909 Peerless steam tractor
- 1915 Walker electric truck
- 1920s International Harvester
- 1931 Diamond T truck
- 1931 Chevrolet Model C cab-truck
