WWII National Capital Flyover – May 8, 2015

[PotomacCyclist]

If you missed the smaller WWII-era plane flyover last year, you have another chance to see the skies over D.C. filled with WWII-era planes.

From the Smithsonian announcement:

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of the war that changed the United States forever. To honor the 16 million who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War 2 and to spotlight the essential role that aircraft played in U.S. victory, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association has led an effort to bring one of the largest privately owned collections of WW2 airplanes ever assembled to Washington, D.C. to fly over the National Mall on May 8, the 70th anniversary of VE day (the public holiday to mark the Allied victory in Europe). The “Arsenal of Democracy” aircraft will fly over the Mall in 14 formations, beginning at 12:10 p.m. As the media sponsor of the event, Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine has created recognition cards for viewing on a smartphone (at airspacemag.com/spotter) to help you identify the airplanes as they fly overhead. (Or download a PDF of the spotter cards here.) You can also find the histories of these airplanes here, presented in the order the formations will fly over the Mall.

From Air & Space Magazine:

On May 8, 2015, a large formation of World War 2 fighters, bombers, trainers, and transports will fly over the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to honor veterans on the 70th anniversary of VE Day.

As the media sponsor for the flyover, Air & Space/Smithsonian has produced World War 2-era airplane spotter cards, similar to what the soldiers used, which you can download as a PDF or view on your smartphone (at airspacemag.com/spotter), to help identify the aircraft flying overhead on May 8. You also can get a digital copy of our May 2015 special issue on World War II for your iPad, Nook, and Kindle, or buy print editions at the National Air and Space Museum locations on the National Mall and at Udvar-Hazy in Chantilly, Virginia, or subscribe to get future issues here.

Schedule for Friday, May 8, 2015

10:30 a.m.: Program begins at World War II Memorial. (Register here)

12:10 p.m.: The first formation flies over the Lincoln Memorial
 at an altitude of 1000 feet.

12:35 p.m.: Missing Man Formation flies over the Lincoln Memorial to conclude the flyover.

Though there will be plenty of places throughout Virginia and D.C. to see the flyover, we picked a few of what should be the best viewing spots, as marked above on the map:

– U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial / Netherlands Carillon
– Arlington Memorial Bridge
– Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
– World War II Memorial
– Washington Monument
– National Air and Space Museum
– Tidal Basin / Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
– Thomas Jefferson Memorial
– Hains Point
– Gravelly Point Park

During the event, follow along with us on Twitter at @airspacemag and #WW2Flyover

As many as 20 of the aircraft in the flyover also will appear on static display at the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center for Family Day, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. Admission is free, but parking is $15 at the Udvar-Hazy Center.

*Flyover is weather permitting. Rain date is May 9, 2015.

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Due to factors such as weather or mechanical issues, participating aircraft are subject to change without notice.

We’ll continue to update this post with more information as we get closer to the event.

Follow us: @AirSpaceMag on Twitter

http://www.airspacemag.com/airspacemag/national-mall-flyover-details-180954735/

http://www.airspacemag.com/military-aviation/ww2-70th-anniversary-flyover-180954736/

Topic

[PotomacCyclist]

Three more days until the WWII flyover. If you’re outside anywhere near the National Mall, you can’t miss it. (Unless you are wearing those oversized headphones and you have your head buried in your smartphone, which isn’t that rare, now that I think about it.)

The latest forecast for Friday at 12 noon is 81F, and partly cloudy skies. Only a minimal chance of rain, so it looks like the flyover will proceed as planned.

[Brendan von Buckingham]

All I can say, as a certified World War II history nut, the P-38 better not woosie out. And my office has a front row seat. I haven’t been this excited since Christmas 1978. Maybe the release of Empire Strikes Back.

[PotomacCyclist]

More links:

http://ww2flyover.org/about-the-flyover/

http://ww2flyover.org/flyover-formations/

There will be 15 formations, each representing a major battle or component of the war. The 2nd-to-last formation will feature the only remaining airworthy B-29 Superfortress bomber. (The plane, named “FIFI,” has been flown in airshows and has appeared in movies such as “The Right Stuff.”)

Participating aircraft are subject to change, depending on weather or mechanical issues. I doubt there will be any weather issues.

[Riley Casey]

Very bummed to be out of town for this. Tried to talk my daughter into biking to the Lincoln from Bethesda with her family but the compromise was that they will drive their bikes to the Arlington Cemetery parking lot and ride across the bridge. Sigh …:rolleyes:

[chris_s]

So stoked that there’s going to be a B-24! Not many airworthy!

[Brendan von Buckingham]

I think the north steps of Jefferson Memorial will offer a great view out over the Tidal Basin. No obstructed view. Front seat to the banking turn over Lincoln.

[PotomacCyclist]

T-minus 22 hrs and counting

[PotomacCyclist]

I’ll probably pick a spot near the Washington Monument. It looks like the planes will be flying over Independence Ave., but the map might not show the precise route along the National Mall. I’d like to get some photos/videos with the monument in the shot.

FYI: If you haven’t been down to the National Mall lately, you should be aware that most of the section between 7th and 14th Streets is closed because of renovations. The grassy areas between Madison Drive and Jefferson Drive are fenced off.

This is the section in front of the Smithsonian Castle, last week.

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[PotomacCyclist]

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Map of the flight route

[Crickey7]

I wouldn’t want to be riding in a Volkswagen under the flight path.

[PotomacCyclist]

@Brendan von Buckingham 115184 wrote:

All I can say, as a certified World War II history nut, the P-38 better not woosie out. And my office has a front row seat. I haven’t been this excited since Christmas 1978. Maybe the release of Empire Strikes Back.

I would mention the name of the highest-scoring U.S. ace, who flew all his missions in the P-38. But I think I might get banned for doing so. Let’s just say that his nickname (which is a regular nickname) plus his last name make for a very unusual phrase. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Bong

[Vicegrip]

My father flew quite a.few war birds over his long military career. He started out in the stearman biplane and ended up in F-4Ds with cold war bombers in between. He did not talk much but he did say the P-38 was his favorite aircraft to fly.

[Starduster]

Darn! I’m going to be in the middle of an eye appointment. At least Sue will get to see it from Ft. McNair!

Big bombers! Especially a B-29! Someone get pictures! Please?

[PotomacCyclist]

I plan on taking so many pictures — and VIDEOS — that people might beg me to stop posting them tomorrow. I’m bringing a new digital camera, with better optical zoom than the basic zoom that I have on my smartphone. Smartphones are good for general online photos, but they don’t handle grand vistas and massive objects that well.

[PotomacCyclist]

They will stream the entire event online here: http://events.dacast.com/?webcast_id=9

[There’s no broadcast now, except an annoying test signal.]

There could be server issues if there is heavy demand for the streaming video. They will also post video of the event later on.

[Author]

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