The big flyover is Friday…locals are ready

WKOK Staff | May 7, 2015 6:10 am |

TO GO WITH AFP STORY by Robert MacPherson, Lifestyle-US-aviation-military-history North American T-6 Texans fly over Culpeper, Virginia, October 9, 2013, as members of the North American Trainer Association (NATA) practice formation flying. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the T-6 Texan, the muscular tandem-seat warbird in which countless pilots in dozens of countries honed their flying skills. "There's a lot of history in this airplane. It trained so many air forces in the world," said Len "Stoney" Stonich of NATA, which represents owners, pilots and fans of the estimated 1,000 civilian-owned Texans around the world. The plane remained in US military service through the Korean War in 1950-53 and into the Vietnam era -- and kept flying for many other air forces for even longer, until South Africa retired its fleet in 1995. AFP Photo/JIM WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)

SUNBURY — Dozens of local veterans will be heading to Washington D.C. Friday, they’ll arrive to see the largest military plane flyover in U.S. history. “All is at the ready,” says local flyover committee member Dick Simpson, he said it’s humbling the response they’ve had for the road trip to Washington.

 

The event will honor the heroes of World War II, “All of the planes were used in World War II.  It’s the 70th anniversary of the victory and they are going to have planes from the different theaters of World War II.” Members of the Shikellamy JROTC will travel with the four buses of Valley veterans.

 

As the bus trip nears, Simpson said they will leave the Shikellamy stadium parking lot at 5am Friday. He said coffee and snacks will be provided, lunch will be served in Washington, and they will be enough seating at the flyover. He reminded riders that backpacks, chairs and umbrellas won’t be permitted.  Anyone with last minute questions can call 570-847-1974.

 

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Written by WKOK Staff