Military Aviation Museum Collecting Hurricane Helene Relief Supplies, Liberty Foundation’s C-47 Will Fly Supplies to N.C.

PRESS RELEASE

During its Warbirds Over the Beach air show this weekend, Oct. 5 and 6, The Military Aviation Museum will host a supply drive to help areas of North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene. After the show, a World War II transport plane best known for dropping paratroopers on D-Day will fly the supplies to Western North Carolina. “We have seen impacts from the storm across the mid-Atlantic, and our upcoming air show is no exception,” Museum Director Keegan Chetwynd said. “Many of the folks that help out and support this annual event are from the areas hardest hit by Helene. Hearing those stories had the Museum staff and our volunteers wondering – what can we do to help?”

The Museum has been working with teams on the ground in North Carolina to determine what supplies should be gathered and where they are most needed. Urgent items being requested include adult diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, baby supplies including lactose-free baby formula, water purification tablets, bottled drinking water, non-perishable food, coolers, raincoats, Clorox wipes, cleaning supplies, shovels, brooms, gloves, first aid supplies, socks, underwear and blankets.

The vintage plane that will carry the supplies is a Douglas C-47 Skytrain, flown by The Liberty Foundation, a nonprofit flying museum in Douglas, Georgia. C-47s dropped American paratroopers behind enemy lines to begin the Allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and also played a vital role in resupplying Allied forces during their advance across Europe. The large spacious cabin and low loading door made the C-47s well-suited to being loaded by hand under combat conditions. Many wartime C-47s went on to support the Berlin Airlift, a post-war humanitarian effort to counter a Soviet blockade, demonstrating how well suited the airplane is to transporting supplies on missions of mercy. The hope is that members of the Hampton Roads community, all too familiar with the impacts of hurricanes, will join the Museum in helping fill the C-47 with the essential supplies needed in Western North Carolina.

How to Donate Supplies

In keeping with the spirit of these historic supply runs and airlifts, the Museum is serving as a gathering point for supplies and is asking show attendees and members of the public for help to fill up the aircraft. For those planning to attend Warbirds Over the Beach, there will be a collection point for supplies next to the aircraft during both days of the show. People wishing to donate supplies without attending the show can drop off items at a collection point installed at the Museum’s main entrance. The Museum will be open from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 3, and Friday, Oct. 4.

About the Military Aviation Museum

The 60,000-square-foot nonprofit Military Aviation Museum, located on a private airfield in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is dedicated to preserving, restoring and flying historic military aircraft. Its extensive collection includes examples from both World Wars, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience aviation history up close. For more information, visit militaryaviationmuseum.org.

About Warbirds Over the Beach

The annual Warbirds Over the Beach featuring vintage World War II aircraft returns to the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach on Oct. 5 and 6. The weekend will include a large living history encampment, armored vehicles, weapons demonstrations, vintage vocal performances, food trucks and some of the rarest WWII aircraft in the world flying from the museum’s scenic grass runway. This event is the nonprofit museum’s largest fundraiser, supporting the maintenance of its collection and the expansion of its educational programming. For tickets, visit the event website.

Moreno Aguiari

Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.

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