WWII
Comes to Life at Reading Airfield
By Leslie Rosenberg
For
three days this Spring, Reading, Pennsylvania, will travel back
in time, to an era when Glenn Miller ruled the airwaves, and stars
like Spencer Tracey and Katherine Hepburn graced the silver screen.
The
annual transformation is a result of the Mid Atlantic Air Museum
World War II Weekend Airshow and Living History Airfield, scheduled
this year for June 7-9. The mammoth gathering attracts thousands
of visitors from around the globe and features living history reenactors;
vintage WWII aircraft, vehicles and artifacts; skirmishes and battles
at the recreated airfield; a big band gala dance; victory gardens
at the Home Front; a huge militaria collectibles flea market; and
most important, the story of the world's greatest conflict, told
by those who were there. Among the guests this year will be Colonel
Robert Morgan, Tex Hill of the American Volunteer Group "Flying
Tigers", four crew members of the 91st BG B-17 "Pist'l Packin' Mama",
Major "Dutch" Van Kirk (navigator of the B-29 "Enola Gay"), Morris
Jeppson (USN) who armed the bomb, Captain Sherman Best (pilot of
17 missions of the B-26 Flak-Bait, the bomber with the highest number
of missions during the war now on display at the Smithsonian), Forrest
Guth of the 101st AB "Band of Brothers", Sgt. Bill Fili (B-24 gunner/navigator
and Ploiesti veteran), Lt. Carl Constein ("Hump" pilot), and WASP
members Ethel Finley, Scotty Gough, and Florence Shutsy-Reynolds,
plus noted aviation artists Gil Cohn, Raymond Moats, and David Sample.
Regrettably, General Joe Foss will not be appearing as originally
scheduled.
Visitors
to the WWII Reenactment weekend can also take a ride on
the "Yankee Lady," a classic B-17 still in sound condition.
At $400 a trip, the cost is a bit steep, but where else
can you personally fly through history? Several other
historical aircraft will be at this year's event as well,
including for the first time the Fighter Factory's "Hawker
Hurricane." To find out more about this year's event,
including ticket prices, nearby accommodations, directions,
and schedule information, visit the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum
online at www.maam.org/wwii/wwsched.html.
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