Tomorrow, Friday, May 8, one of the most diverse arrays of World War II aircraft ever assembled will fly over D.C. in honor of the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day. The Arsenal of Democracy Flyover will include dozens of World War II aircraft flying in 15 formations overhead. In the first of those formations, a Capitol Hill neighbor and father, Mike Hogan, will be flying as part of the National Capitol Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF).
If you are an aviation buff, you can expect to see the P-40 Warhawk, P-63 Kingcobra, P-38 Lightning, P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt, FG-1D Corsair, B-25 Mitchell, B-17 Flying Fortress, and many others. The plans are all being provided by organizations and individuals with the mission to preserve these historic artifacts in flying condition. These organizations include the largest vintage military aircraft organization, the Commemorative Air Force, in addition to Texas Flying Legends, Fighter Factory, and Fagen Fighters.
The 15 “historically sequenced warbird formations” each represent a major WWII battle– Pearl Harbor through the final air assault on Japan– and will conclude with a missing man formation to “Taps.” According to the website, “Never before has such a collection of WWII aircraft been assembled at one location, to honor the large assemblage of veterans gathered at the WWII Memorial for a ceremony.”
Click here for a list of the formations and aircrafts participating in each one. There is also a handy spotter card available so you can easily identify each type of aircraft.
The flyover is scheduled to cross over the WWII Memorial at 12:10 pm. As they approach the Lincoln Memorial, they will turn East and proceed down Independence Avenue. At the completion of the flyover of the WWII Memorial, the aircraft will turn south and begin their flight down the Potomac River and back to their original airports.
As for that Capitol Hill pilot, Mike Hogan, I wanted to know more about how he got involved in such a special event. He has the honor of flying in the first formation, the Trainer Formation, in a Stinson L-5 Sentinel. I’ve known Mike for years and have been curious about his passion for old planes, which came from his father and grandfather.
His paternal grandfather was in the Army Air Corps in WWII, but he was not able to fly since he was color-blind. However, he took Mike to see the planes. “Some of my earliest memories are sitting at the end of the runway of Dobbins AFB and watching F-105s take off,” he recalls.
Mike’s dad flew “Slicks” in Vietnam (a slick is Huey Helicopter without guns) and helped instill a love of aviation and history in his son at a young age. “Watching your dad come home from ‘work’ in a flight suit and boots makes quite an impression on a young boy.” He discovered CAF 20 years ago and saw it as an opportunity to fly historic planes he had seen growing up.
Mike has been flying warbirds through CAF for over 20 years, and owned his own warbird—a North American T-6G “Texan”—in the past. Along with volunteering as a pilot for three of the NCS’s aircrafts, Mike also flies for another museum located in Virginia Beach.
I asked Mike what he wants people to take away from this event. His response:
Two things: One, NEVER EVER FORGET. People have short memories. I think there is a complacency in our country regarding our safety as people and as a nation. Even though we have been fighting this “war on terror” for many years, people think that by and large our country is safe. That war is over there. There was a time, not very long ago however, that the very existence of our country and our way of life was threatened. I don’t think people today really get that.
Second, I never had the privilege to serve in the military and it is something I truly regret. I fly these airplanes to honor all the men and women in the past, and now, who put themselves in harms way so that my family can be safe. That is a debt I can never fully repay but I will live the rest of my life trying to in any way I can. I want would hope that anyone who sees the event comes away with the same feeling.
Since getting his license 30 years ago, Mike has racked up over 4500 hours, holds an ATP (Airliner Transport Pilot) rating and flies large turboprops and corporate jets. He has his own business, Pelican Aircraft Consulting, where he helps individuals buy and sell airplanes, and manages and flies corporate aircraft. “And of course, fly old airplanes! Life is good!”
The WWII memorial will be the best spot to see the flyover. Get there by noon and look west toward the Lincoln Memorial. If you can’t make it all the way to the Memorial, you should be able to get a good view from along the Mall as well.