WWII history takes flight

Road construction? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.

By STU CLAMPITT
news@readthereporter.com

WWII combat aircraft are coming to Hamilton County on May 10, and you can get in the copilot’s seat and take to the skies in one or more of your choice when the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) brings Barnstorming Days to Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport, 9913 Willow View Road, Fishers, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Reporter spoke to CAF Indiana Wing Development Officer Mark Van Zant about the aircraft that will be on hand, how you can get to fly in them, and a special opportunity for veterans and family members to fly for free.

“We’ve put on events similar to this in the past called Warbird Expo or Wings Over Indy,” Van Zant told The Reporter. “We’ve rebranded it the last couple of years to be more of a drop-in concept. It’s like the old barnstorming days where somebody would have a biplane or a Stearman and just land on somebody’s farm and neighbors would come riding on their bikes or whatever and they’d give rides.”

The May 10 event in Fishers is CAF’s first barnstorming days event for the season for us in central Indiana.

“We have a pretty busy schedule lined up after that,” Van Zant said. “If people miss it in Fishers, they’re going to have opportunities at other local airports as well. We’re going to have World War II aircraft. They’re all operational. They’re not museum pieces. They’re meant to be living history. We want people to experience history by actually purchasing a ride or giving a ride to someone as a gift. They can feel and smell and hear and really understand what those young pilots went through during World War II to defend our freedoms.”

Aircraft currently scheduled to be on hand at Barnstorming Days are a 1943 Boeing-Stearman, 1943 Fairchild PT-26 Trainer, 1942 Vultee BT-13 Trainer, and a 1943 Beech SNB (RC-45J).

“We pretty much have the entire collection of training aircraft that a new pilot in World War II would have flown in some in their progression to either a bomber or a fighter pilot,” Van Zant said.

Thanks to a new corporate sponsor, CAF is able to offer free flights to some veterans or family members.

“We just got sponsorship from Federal Express to help us fly veterans for free this year at our different barnstorming events, so that’s exciting,” Van Zant said. “We have three main goals, and the first is to honor veterans. We want to also educate the public, both young and old, of the type of aircraft and the type of situations these young men, 17, 18 years old, had to go through to get ready for war. And then the third is to inspire. We want to inspire the next generation to potentially pursue aviation as a career and to do great things.”

Barnstorming Days is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 10. Attending the event is free, but you do need to pay a fee and sign a waiver in order to fly in any of the aircraft. You can do both of those things online at metrobarnstormers.square.site.

CAF is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All flight fees go to aircraft maintenance and the costs of putting on events with historic aircraft across the county.

If you would like to donate time or money to help CAF continue to bring events like this one to the public, you can go to indianawingcaf.org/indianapolis-in.html and click on the “Get Involved” link at the top of the page.

Photos provided by Commemorative Air Force