Living historians show passengers what the paratroopers of the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions experienced during their incredible 1,200-plane D-Day raid.
Commemorating the 79th anniversary of the D-Day landingsday Douglas C-47B “Light Rail” Troop Carrier at US Air Force Museum to Make Four Anniversaries Live historical flight experience exist Saturday, June 17, 2023. This is a one-of-a-kind immersive educational program in which living historian What to Show Passengers 101Yingshi and 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers experienced an incredible 1,200 aircraft D-Day attack.Famed living historian of World War II Robert Scarabino, with the help of his 101Yingshi Onboard Reenactors that will transport passengers back in time.
The stories of our nation’s “greatest generation,” the heroes of D-Day in D-Day, are being retold for a new generation of Americans. AAM took the next step by turning these events into educational moments or “living history,” so passengers could feel, hear, see, and smell what it was like in “Night That Never Sleeps,” when June 1944 D-Day on 6 September 17-27 September 1944 Daytime air drops into the Netherlands during Operation Market Garden.
AAM has created a completely unique experience in honor of our heroic C-47B troop transporters and paratroopers. Passengers will receive M-1942 jumpsuits, helmets and harnesses, participate in an authentic mission briefing, and then join AAM’s professional reenactors to “make up” a full WWII 101st Airborne outfit. Next, passengers and reenactors board the museum’s C-47B Skytrain, just as America’s heroes did 79 years ago when they risked everything to liberate occupied Europe from the Nazi scourge.
Passengers on the C-47B could feel and hear the plane’s powerful twin engines start as she took off from the Republic and headed for Long Island’s south shore. During the flight, they watched the pilots operate their controls and the paratroopers prepare for battle. They will relive the onboard experience right up to the moment they are ordered to connect to the overhead static line. Upon returning from this thrilling flight, all will know what our heroes did 79 years ago when they helped lead the Allies to victory that eventually led to the surrender of the Nazis. (Each Living History experience is approximately 1.5 hours, with approximately 20 minutes actual flight time to and from South Shore of Long Island.)
AAM’s four C-47B flights are scheduled from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm AAM’s next D-Day flight experiences will be on September 2, 2023 and October 7, 2023.You can book your seat by visiting AAM’s website at www.americanairpowermuseum.org and click “C-47 D-Day Living History Flight Experience”. Or call (516) 531-3950, (631) 454-2039 or visit AAM’s gift shop, Wednesday through Sunday, 10:30 am to 5:00 pm, Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735. One additional guest on C-47B flights is free for a full day of flight viewing and museum exhibits. Plus, C-47B passengers can bring up to four additional guests, and admission is only $10 per person.
The public can also visit AAM’s Hangar 3 all day on June 17day, just to watch every flight and visit the exhibits. General admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and veterans, and $12 for children ages 5-12. Tickets and pre-registration are not required.
Affectionately known as the “Second Chance,” AAM’s iconic C-47B was built in 1944 and supplied to the U.S. Army Air Forces. She was transferred to the RAF in 1945 and flew in the RAF Berlin Airlift (1948 – 1949), serving until 1950. The aircraft then served with the Belgian Air Force for two years. In 1952 she went to the French Air Force, where she served for two years in Vietnam, India, Algeria, Morocco and the Congo. She was sold to Israel in 1967 and flew for 32 years in the IDF. AAM acquired the aircraft in 2000. In addition to AAM’s D-Day flights, she performed classic WWII D-Day markings with the original “D8” code at regional air shows. One of the last C-47Bs still in military configuration, this aircraft has just over 17,000 flight hours, one of the shortest in the world!
This is a family-friendly program for all ages and a great way to educate young Americans about World War II and how American veterans defeated Nazi Germany and defended our freedom. Support AAM’s mission to honor veterans and military aviation history by helping maintain and preserve the museum’s iconic aircraft. Help “Let ‘Em Fly!” (Also makes a great Father’s Day gift!)
The U.S. Air Force Museum is an aviation museum located on the landmark former Republic site aviation at Republic Airport in Farmingdale, New York. The museum houses a collection of aviation artifacts and a collection of aircraft spanning the years of aircraft factory history.museum is a 501 (c) (3) A nonprofit educational foundation chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.
“The United States Air Force Museum at Republic Airfield is the only flying military aviation museum on Long Island.”
