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Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low around 70F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..
Thunderstorms early, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low around 70F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
Updated: July 24, 2025 @ 4:23 pm
The Spirit of Freedom C-54 plane and museum featuring artifacts from the Berlin Airlift will be at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport July 11-15.
This is a look at the interior of the Spirit of Freedom C-54 on display at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport when it was in Angola last year.
This is a look at part of the controls of the Spirit of Freedom C-54 when it was on display at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport through last year.
The Spirit of Freedom C-54 plane and museum featuring artifacts from the Berlin Airlift will be at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport July 11-15.
This is a look at the interior of the Spirit of Freedom C-54 on display at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport when it was in Angola last year.
This is a look at part of the controls of the Spirit of Freedom C-54 when it was on display at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport through last year.
ANGOLA — The “Spirit of Freedom,” a living, breathing, flying exhibit commemorating the Berlin Airlift of 1948-49, is making another return trip to Angola.
This genuine U.S. Air Force veteran of the airlift is an important artifact from the airlift. It is owned by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation based in Farmingdale, New Jersey.
And it will be stationed in Angola for a week, July 11-15.
Spirit of Freedom will be located at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport, 5220 W. U.S. 20, Angola.
The aircraft was in Angola last summer and previously visited in 2019.
Filled with artifacts, photographs, and other Airlift related items, the “Spirit’s” role is to travel the world educating people on this subject.
“Our mission is to preserve the history of this great humanitarian effort, the Great Berlin Airlift That is our mission with our onboard museum exhibit inside of our airplane,” said Timothy A. Chopp, part of the C-54 flight crew and president of the Berlin Airlift Foundation when visiting last year.
The aircraft will be parked on the tarmac at Tri-State Steuben County Municipal Airport and is available for tours from noon to 7 p.m. on July 11, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on July 12-14 and from 9-11 a.m. on its final day, July 15, when it will leave for Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
“This particular airplane was built in 1943, one of 330 C-54s used in this massive operation after World War II,” Chopp said.
The plane was manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Co. and delivered to the Army Air Corps in September 1945 as 43-17228. She was assigned to Carribean Division of the Air Transport Command then on to the Atlantic Division.
In October 1948, 43-17228 was transferred to the Berlin Airlift as part of the the 61st Troop Carrier Squadron based at Rhein Main for six months. In May of 1949, after a 1,000 hour inspection and overhaul at Burbank, she was reassigned to the airlift with the 317th.
After its role on the airlift, 43-17228 went on to serve in a variety of roles both in the service of the government and private aircraft service.
The Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation purchased Douglas C-54D 43-17228 on Aug. 15, 2020, and began the process of getting her airworthy again, including creation of a new Flying Museum and Memorial dedicated to the Berlin Airlift on her inside.
The visit by the Spirit of Freedom was sponsored by the Steuben County Tourism Bureau and the city of Angola. Donations are being accepted.
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