Morethan50WorldWarII-eraplanesflewinformationovertheWorldWarIIMemorialinWashingtonFriday,markingthe70thanniversaryoftheendoftheconflictinEurope.
TheroarofmightypistonenginesoverheadtranfixedmiddaystrollersandcrowdsalongtheNationalMall.
"It'sjustbeenanincredibledaytocomehere,afteralltheseyears,andseetheseairplanesagain."
Theflyby,calledArsenalofDemocracy,wasorganizedbytheGeneralAviationManufacturersAssociation.ItspresidentandCEO,PeterBunce,saysrestoratingoldairplanesisaslowandpainstakinglyhardprocessdonemostlybyenthusiasts.
“Recently,therewasaveryiconicaircraftthatwasfishedoutinLakeMichiganandthataircraftwillgothroughaverylongrestorationprocesses,it'syearsandyears."
Manyoftheplanes,suchasthisBoeingB-17FlyingFortress,calledTexasRaidersbelongstoaTexas-basednon-profitorganizationcalledCommemorativeAirForce.
CiviliancorporatepilotBuddyCookseyhasbeenflyingitsvintageplanesatairshowsformorethan40years.Hesaysthegrouphasover11,000membersbutisalwayslookingfornewfansreadytodevotetimeandworktorestorationandupkeepofoldplanes.
“Wearelookingforyoungladies,youngmen,race,color,creeddoesnotmattertous.Theygottheenthusiasm-wewantthem."
Cookseysays,despitetheirage,theplanesarestillinverygoodshape.
“Strangelyenoughtheairplanesarequitedurable,theyweremeanttobethatdurable.Andthere'slotofredundancyinthesystemsandso,theproblemthatwehaveisthepartsarenoteasilytocomeby."
Cookseysayseveryonceinawhile,aboxofsparepartsisdiscoveredinsomewarehouse,butmanyofthemhavetobemanufacturednew,whichisnotcheap.Buthesaysitisimportanttokeeptheseplanesflyingasatributetoallwhofoughtinthem.
“Ibelievethattheycouldbecontinuallyoperatedforprobably…forever,aslongaswecancontinuetodowhatwearedoing."
