Sunny Central Florida » Kermit Weeks

June Events Soar at Fantasy of Flight

Kris Keprios — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:19:55 +0000

Spring into summer with two back-to-back action-packed weekends, plus a special offer just for dads at Fantasy of Flight. Guests are invited to hear firsthand accounts from “Pacific War” Veterans, explore war relics and memorabilia, and bring Dad for free during Father’s Day Weekend.

Friday, June 10 & Saturday, June 11- Legends & Legacies Series
“The Pacific War: Power and Pursuit”
Guests will receive the rare opportunity to hear from some of the few living World War II veterans who participated in this portion of the war, which began Dec. 7, 1941 with the attack on Pearl Harbor. The speakers include: Lt. Col. Doug Canning, who was hand-picked for a mission to take down the number-one top military strategist of the Japanese Imperial forces; Ray Albritton, a radar operator with the Naval Seaplane Squadron; and Bruce Gamble, featured historian in documentaries produced by The History Channel and four-time author. All symposiums are included with daily general admission and are free for all Annual Pass holders

June 10-11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.- The Military Collector’s Show
Collectibles from the Civil War to the Vietnam War, including medals, insignia, war relics, and other memorabilia, will be featured on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Former Command Pilot and career Air Force officer, Joe Kittinger II, will also be available for book signings. Kittinger holds world records for the highest, fastest and longest skydive, and for being the first man to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas balloon.
Admission to the Military Collector’s Show is complimentary with Fantasy of Flight admission. To attend the show only, admission will cost $6 per person (including tax).

Thursday, June 16-Sunday, June 19- Father’s Day Special
In honor of Father’s Day, Fantasy of Flight is offering fathers free admission when accompanied by any paid youth or adult. The offer is not valid with any other offers or discounts.

For more information about Fantasy of Flight, call 863-984-3500 or visit www.fantasyofflight.com.

There’s An App For That

Kris Keprios — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 18:13:45 +0000

With thousands of apps being added to the hugely popular Apple App Store each day, it can be difficult to find just the right one. If you are an aviation fan, or a fan of Fantasy of Flight–or just a fan of playing games on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch– then, there is an app for that! Fantasy of Flight has just launched an App called ”Gee Bee the Littler Racer and Friends,” an exciting new airplane flying game application to play on iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad. It was developed by KWIP Inc. and the app lets users fly the colorfully animated “Gee Bee Zee” monoplane and five airplane friends through various levels of dodging birds, balloons and blimps, racing against the clock to deliver packages on time and playfully popping balloons with propellers to gain extra points.

Of course, the game is inspired by the aviation wonderland, Fantasy of Flight, and the aviation themed-children’s book, All of Life is a School, written by the attraction’s owner Kermit Weeks, the game is a fun way to allow users to learn about the game’s vintage aircrafts in a hands-on and imaginative way. The app is $1.99 and can be purchased by visiting the Apple iTunes store.

Fantasy of Flight Adds to their Collection

Kris Keprios — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:30:42 +0000

Those lucky enough to be looking to the skies recently from Miami to Polk City may have spotted an amazing sight — a TBM “Avenger” World War II Torpedo Bomber — buzzing its way home to join part of the world’s largest private rare and vintage aircraft collection at Fantasy of Flight. Fantasy of Flight founder and creator Kermit Weeks piloted the nearly 70-year-old aircraft in a 75-minute flight at a speed of 165 knots from Miami, where it was being stored at Weeks’ former aircraft museum there. Wings Over Miami assumed the museum’s operation in July 2003. The TBM plane was the last flyable piece of Week’s collection being stored there.

The TBM is the same model that President George H. W. Bush, Sr. flew and was shot down in while flying a mission over the Pacific Island of Chichi Jima in June 1943. During Bush’s Vice Presidential campaign, Weeks had the plane repainted in Bush’s colors and was asked to bring it to one of the Republican campaign stops. Upon seeing the old beauty that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross, Bush reportedly ran from his commercial jet to the TBM and promptly hopped into the cockpit. The late Paul Newman also flew in a TBM as a rear gunner.

Now that the TBM has joined the rest of the collection at Fantasy of Flight, it will most likely join the rotation of planes used for daily flight demonstrations. It will also be included in the attraction’s next “Open Cockpit Days,” June 20 and 21, 3 – 5 pm, in which guests get to climb aboard rare and historic aircraft and imagine what it was like to fly them — and of course, take advantage of an incredible photo opportunity. Open Cockpit Days are an additional charge for regular admission ticket holders and complimentary for annual pass holders. The TBM will be available with two other naval aircraft including the Grumman FM-2 Wildcat and the Corsair for the Open Cockpit Days that are part of Fantasy of Flight’s Father’s Day weekend. Other activities celebrating Dad during his special weekend include the Golden Age of Aviation R/C Fly-In, June 20 and 21, 10 am – 4 pm and a special Military Collectors Show, June 20, 9 am – 4 pm. And from June 18 through 21, Dad enjoys complimentary admission with a full-price paid adult, senior or child’s admission.