World War II Victory Capitol Flyover May 8th, 2015

[MWMULES]

Flyover 12:10-12:50 PM EST
Live from the World War II Memorial Washington D.C. http://events.dacast.com/?webcast_id=9

 

[MWMULES]

It's started!

 

[swbradley1]

Better than fox news

 

[Warthog]

Thanks. Now my afternoon is booked.

I tried to make arrangements to attend but it didn't work out.

 

[SignalNco]

One of the veterans who is attending was a pilot during WW2. He is now 96 years old, an active bush pilot in Alaska and drove all the way to DC by himself for the event.

 

[CARNAC]

It was both good and sad. Good that this was done in remembrance. Sad that we've lost so many veterans. Also sad that at the end of WWII we filled the sky as far as the eye could see and for hours on end. The sea was filled with our ships. The depths were filled with our subs. Our Army had enough equipment to equip over 120 divisions and the Marines 12 divisions. Above all else, it showed what the US industrial might AND the populace could accomplish. Wish we would have mobilized for our current war like we did in WWII, it would have been expensive then but it would have been over with by now if we fought this war like WWII and left the lawyers, media and politicians at home.

 

[Artisan]

This UTube is exceptional!

TAKE OFF ROLL ROTATE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEdZafAHG2Q

 

[TacticalTruck]

I only had to step outside the shop.

 

[Another Ahab]

It was special, I've got to tell you; a total gas and an absolute thrill.

A shot here of the first incoming wave, looking north up-river; Piper L-4 Grasshoppers I believe (picture was taken center-span on the Memorial Bridge, between Robert E. Lee's Arlington House and the Lincoln Memorial):




And some coverage from the Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...c722a2-f41e-11e4-bcc4-e8141e5eb0c9_story.html

 

[combatmech]

[UOTE=TacticalTruck;1715131]I only had to step outside the shop. View attachment 558702[/QUOTE]

You're welcome

 

[Another Ahab]

There was some small variation in the formations that were forecast and those actually flown, and I'm not sure why that is (maybe some last minute issues or something):

- Like the first formation looked to me to be (4) L-4 Grasshoppers

- And the second formation that came in was a whole squadron of (6) P-17 Stearmans (which isn't even noted in the official formation line-up). Those Stearmans were a sight. They have a relatively slow flight speed, and they way all six of them floated in (in a beautiful tight vertical formation) was something special to see. It was great.

Here's the link to the official formation line-up:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/know-your-wwii-airplanes/2015/05/07/0153eb76-f527-11e4-b2f3-af5479e6bbdd_graphic.html
​

 

[TacticalTruck]

You're welcome

Ha, someone still owes me a ride. When Fifi was at Manassas back in about 1990 I was working for VMMV and we gave a bunch of fly boys tank rides. I was promised a reciprocal plane ride which I never got. Still waiting! haha

 

[combatmech]

I am very sorry to hear that...sounds like the old CAF......

 

[Another Ahab]

It was both good and sad. Good that this was done in remembrance. Sad that we've lost so many veterans. Also sad that at the end of WWII we filled the sky as far as the eye could see and for hours on end.

It is of course sad that we have lost so many veterans of late from WWII. But it is also of course inevitable. We die when we get older. That's what we all do.

But I know what you're getting at, CARNAC. I get it.

What strikes me as most sad is that the wide world over we still go to war and go killing one another to solve our differences of opinion. It seems awfully stupid, and people get hurt. But that's what we do. It just doesn't seem very smart.

 

[Another Ahab]

Here's some follow-up from the Washington Post:


View attachment Flyover Follow Up.pdf

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

Here's some follow-up from the Washington Post:


View attachment 560288

Memories such as hers are permanent and indelible.

Thank you for sharing.

John

 

[Another Ahab]

Before I forget the details from that special day, I wanted to point out:

- How difficult it is to identify aircraft from underneath them. You don't think about it; but all the images you see are always from at, or slightly above, their flight level. Some are distinctive, sure, but quite a few blur together when seen passing directly overhead.

- The P-51's were FAST. If I recall correctly it was a flight of three and, even from a distance, you could see that they were moving a good 30%-40% faster than anything else flying that day (or at least it sure seemed like it). That was great.

 

[Another Ahab]

I ran across this today.

The article has some good content if you have a little time to read it:

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/warbirds-help-vets-get-rid-of-a-few-ghosts/article/2563856
​

 

[Al Harvey]

I totally missed this post last year and hadn't seen the video of the fly over. That is one amazing event and had to be awesome in person! I don't if anyone else noticed the TBM that broke off the formation at 38:45 (video of just the fly over) and seem to leave the area. That peaked my curiosity and I found out that the aircraft declared an emergency landing. Thankfully no one was hurt and the aircraft landed safely, but there was a hydraulic leak and they believe they were on fire. I bring this up because the pilot made this AWESOME AAR video and shows how important maintenance is and how to plan for the unexpected. Though our trucks aren't above the ground (normally) we can still use this as a reminder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkvcwXqBJDQ

 

[Another Ahab]

I totally missed this post last year and hadn't seen the video of the fly over. That is one amazing event and had to be awesome in person! I don't if anyone else noticed the TBM that broke off the formation at 38:45 (video of just the fly over) and seem to leave the area.

Until now I never knew the story; thanks a million Al Harvey:

- I was standing on Memorial Bridge (at the Lincoln Memorial) when the Avengers came over, and I noticed that one of them peeled off downriver toward Reagan National Airport.

- And the video shows smoke in the cockpit (or what looks like it). But from the ground I never saw smoke, or any other sign of distress but I figured at the time that it was not part of the intended program for that one aircraft to peel off like that. Glad there was no harm to anyone.

It's great to finally close the loop on the story.

And in a nutshell, YES; that was a remarkable sight that day to see (hear, and even FEEL the vibrations from) all those big birds. They came in low. It was thrilling. It was emotional. It was a gas!