Arsenal of Democracy Fly-Over

[kalamazookid]

This sounds really cool, if it can be pulled off. A massive WWII aircraft fly-by over Washington D.C. on the 70th Anniversary of VE Day.

http://ww2flyover.org/

Anyone have more information on whether the number of aircraft expected is realistic? I would love to travel to see this if the scale is as large as the website is touting.

[SaxMan]

I believe the CAF is taking the lead on this one and has filed the paperwork to get an exemption to do this flyover in restricted airspace over the National Mall. I'm not sure how they'll handle the pattern, since it is so close to Reagan National as well.

[Matt Gunsch]

guess they never heard of Freedom Flight, it was much longer and had more planes involved.

Freedom Flight 39

[flightsimer]

Anyone else disappointed in the overly big CAF turnout? Hardly anything from the east coast invited and not a single F6F or F4U...

[Brad]

Anyone else disappointed in the overly big CAF turnout? Hardly anything from the east coast invited and not a single F6F or F4U...

No, I'm not disappointed in the CAF turnout at all, considering that they are primarily the ones organizing it. And quite honestly I can't figure out why anybody would be disappointed in it. Quite a few east coast planes are involved and I seriously doubt the CAF being involved is the reason there aren't more of them involved. I really don't see what you have to whine about. Also, you don't know how many airplanes were invited and chose not to participate, be it from the east coast or otherwise. And by the way, there is a Hellcat and several Corsairs on the schedule.

[Mark Allen M]

Erickson's B-17 MM showing up?

Last edited by Mark Allen M on Mon Feb 02, 2015 8:36 am, edited 2 times in total.

[kalamazookid]

The aircraft list for this is incredible. I hope weather, maintenance, etc. line up so everything can make it! Hats off to all of the organizers for taking the initiative to put something of this scale together.

[Stoney]

The North American Trainer Association did it last Oct.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih6JlsF ... e=youtu.be

[flightsimer]

Anyone else disappointed in the overly big CAF turnout? Hardly anything from the east coast invited and not a single F6F or F4U...

No, I'm not disappointed in the CAF turnout at all, considering that they are primarily the ones organizing it. And quite honestly I can't figure out why anybody would be disappointed in it. Quite a few east coast planes are involved and I seriously doubt the CAF being involved is the reason there aren't more of them involved. I really don't see what you have to whine about. Also, you don't know how many airplanes were invited and chose not to participate, be it from the east coast or otherwise. And by the way, there is a Hellcat and several Corsairs on the schedule.

I missed the F6F, but for some reason the website does not show the last three formations in the drop down list, which is what I was going by for the F4U. Thought it was pretty weird that Fifi was not attending either...

I was not implying the CAF being involved was the cause of people not attending. But I question whether or not the CAF's aircraft were picked first and then they filled out the rest with other operators or if the CAF have so many aircraft attending because the rest of the community couldn't do it. Looking at the past events such as the Gathering of legends where people flew in their aircraft at their own cost for the most part, it seems hard to believe that so many people declined coming. So the former is what seems to have happened as there are operators who are not participating that I fully would have expected to participate if they were invited.

Now had this always been advertised as a CAF event, then my opinion would be different. But it was not, so it was news to me to hear the CAF were sponsoring it, even though it is not being directly advertised as such.

Besides the fact that I previously had hoped to have our C-47 completed in time to participate in the event, as it would have been a great honor to have been able to do so (but never being able to get any information on it or invited), I guess I just look too deeply into the meaning of things. To me, it is being done to honor all of the men and women from every corner of this country who served during the war. In doing so, it would only be natural to plan it in such a way to have as many organizations as possible involved from every corner of the country as it is the legacy of these men and women we are celebrating through the lives of their children.

But I do hope it goes over as planned and hopefully I can be in DC to see it from the ground.

[Tim Savage]

Fifi is on the list.

The list on the website is also not complete, there are airplanes that have been invited and accepted that are not on the least. From the midwest.

[Brad]

Now had this always been advertised as a CAF event, then my opinion would be different. But it was not, so it was news to me to hear the CAF were sponsoring it, even though it is not being directly advertised as such.

I don't know how you can say it isn't being advertised as the CAF being a major sponsor of the event. It's on a huge banner at the bottom of the page.

To me, it is being done to honor all of the men and women from every corner of this country who served during the war. In doing so, it would only be natural to plan it in such a way to have as many organizations as possible involved from every corner of the country as it is the legacy of these men and women we are celebrating through the lives of their children.

Just a two minute look at the webpage, not including the trainer aircraft, shows airplanes from Texas, California, Indiana, Missouri, Minnesota, Virginia, Georgia, Oregon, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Tennessee, South Carolina and Mississippi. So much for it not being from all corners.

That includes airplanes from the Slattery Collection, Fagen Fighters, CAF, Fighter Factory, Erickson Aircraft Collection, Allied Fighters, Southern Air Heritage Foundation, Texas Flying Legends, EAA, Liberty Foundation, Cavanaugh Flight Museum, American Airpower Museum, Tennessee Museum of Aviation, Jim Tobul and Frank Kimmel. So much for it not including many organizations.

[SaxMan]

The North American Trainer Association did it last Oct.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih6JlsF ... e=youtu.be

Different proposed flight path. The trainer flyover went up the Potomac, deviating a bit to go over Arlington Cemetery, IIRC. This flyover will go directly over the National Mall -- flight path would be nearly perpendicular to the one the trainers used. I imagine they would continue across the river to fly over Arlington Cemetery, the Air Force Memorial and the Pentagon.

[Mark Allen M]

If the Arlington path is taken it might be a good time to visit an old uncle who rests there, hang out with him a bit and watch some old planes fly over.

Whoever and wherever they come from, sounds like a neat deal the owners and organizations take the time and make the effort to remember those who served and sacrificed. Nothing worth bickering about

[p51]

Kind of hard to miss the bottom of the website:

Arsenal for Democracy is a 501(c)(3) organization established under the sponsorship of the Commemorative Air Force. Tax ID 74-1484491.

Good or bad, it's clearly a CAF production for the most part.
Let's face facts, CAF is the primary name in the field for the public.
I wonder if the various security agencies in the DC area are collectively wetting their pants at the idea of dozens of 'warplanes' flying over the Mall area. Not that there's a reason to think a warbird owner would do something intentionally, I'm just thinking of the 'worst case scenario' thinking of agencies like that.

I seriously doubt the CAF being involved is the reason there aren't more of them involved.

I actually know of more than a couple of warbird owners who won't go to any event where the CAF is going to be, but I've never asked why.
But in all fairness, you'd probably be able to ask the same question regardless whichever group is the primary sponsor or bringing the most birds to a specific event.
There'll always be a degree of sour grapes among some warbird owners, plenty of people want to be, 'the only game in town' and don't work or play well with others. I guess it's just the nature of such things.

[Stoney]

Saxman
The guys that did our flight are the same ones helping plan this one.