Months and months of planning were coming together at two airports, Mananssas and Culpeper. Mananssas was bomber base and Culpeper was fighter base and that’s where we were stationed. We were “ground crew” with our good friends Texas Flying Legends Museum (From Warbirds Movie). Sharon and I flew down from NYC and arrived at the field around 9AM, long after the field had come to life and the press were in force covering the event. The best part were all the WWII vets on the field who now had cameras pointed at them and recorders running capturing their stories and emotions being amongst aircraft they once flew as kids in war.
It was an amazing gathering of warbirds and media! Last I heard, over 120 news agencies were present and I forget how many countries were represented but it was staggering. Jake had been embedded with the TFLM boys for a week, being hired to document and create a book from the entire event so I was simply along for the ride. I had no official responsibilities which was a good thing since I had lost mu voice, I was just another of the fans there to help we needed and be apart of something that was bigger than all of us!
This is TFLM’s C-53 that was just one of the 56 warbirds taking part in the VE Day Flyover. You can see behind it just some of the public that was gathered around Culpeper to see the activity and the amazing planes gathered to honor our WWII vets. In the cabin of that C-53 is Sharon shooting video as well as every seat in the back, 23 filled with press corp. Every plane flying this practice day was filled with press which would be at least fifty folks with cameras in planes to the practice flight over the Virginia landscape.
Jake & I were riding in the back to TFLM B-25 “Betty’s Dream” with the FAA photographer. We were one of the last aircraft to launch and since we were parked right along the taxi way, we had the opportunity to photograph all the planes lining up down at the warm up. The excitement and intensity in the air you could slice with a knife! There is no way you can begin to understand the planning involved and paperwork required to fly down our Nation’s mall with 56 warbirds! This restricted airspace that runs through the airspace for Regan Airport (which was shutdown during the actual May 8th flight). All of this had just one purpose, to honor and say thanks to the WWII Vets who have done so much for our country. As Jake pulled the hatch closed on our B-25 ride, couldn’t help but be chocked up looking out and seeing all was being done to say those thanks. mtc