By Gunnar Wagner
When people think of Florida, they often think of sunshine and beaches. Yet, there are locations hidden all over the state that are educational, inspiring and often leave people amazed. One of those locations is Fantasy of Flight in Polk City.
Fantasy of Flight is an aviation museum that hosts a variety of airplanes from different eras in history. From the 1917 Albatros D-VA, a fighter plane used by many legendary German aces of the time, to the 1944 Consolidated B-24J Liberator, a bomber plane used in World War II by the Royal Air Force, there’s no telling how many wondrous stories there are about each aircraft and its pilots.
Fantasy of Flight was founded in 1995 by Kermit Weeks, a skilled aerobatics competitor and aircraft designer. It was his love of aviation that brought this iconic museum to life. The most iconic plane out of his collection is the Douglas DC-3, an improved sleeper version of the Douglas DC-2, which saw combat in World War II. This was the plane that was seen off of I-4 for over two decades, but, unfortunately, it had to be removed earlier this year.
Raven Hintz, an accounting assistant at Fantasy of Flight, said, “It was the end of its era and has served its purpose.”
As of now, there are no current plans to put up a new display near I-4. While a large portion of the original museum is now closed except for restorations, you can still tour the large hangar where approximately 25 planes are on display. Visitors can see airplanes from several periods of history and even arrange for private tours to see planes that aren’t publicly displayed at the museum. It might make for the perfect summer day trip.
For more information about Fantasy of Flight or to book a private tour, visit www.fantasyofflight.com/collection/. You can also call 863-984-3500. For up-to-date happenings and more behind-the-scenes information, be sure to follow its Facebook page @fantasyofflight.
The days of operation vary seasonally, so be sure to check Fantasy of Flight’s calendar on the website. Typical hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Fantasy of Flight is located at 1400 Broadway Blvd. SE in Polk City, conveniently located between Tampa and Orlando.
