The 23rd Annual Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (MAAM) WWII Weekend will be held June 7th to June 9th. This Gathering of warbirds at Carl A. Spaatz Field in Reading, Pennsylvania attracts over 100,000 visitors and has been named “The largest and the best WWII reenactment in the nation — bar none” by Military Vehicle Magazine.
Gates will open each day at 8:30AM, and while there are no air show events scheduled for Friday, the arrival of scores of vintage warbirds will be ongoing throughout the day as well as a military vehicle parade of sorts that will “liberate Reading”. The show really kicks into high gear on Saturday morning, and this huge show will feature presentations and remembrances by WWII veterans, more than 1,700 World War Two military and civilian re-enactors and dozens of combat and support units, with military skirmishes with artillery and weapons fire, Axis and Allied military encampments, a German-occupied French village replete with French Resistance fighters, live “big band” music as well as acts channeling the biggest names in 40s pop culture as well as living “Home Front” displays, including air raid wardens, a recreated ’40s house, a cottage-style gas station and vintage cars, even a department store selling 1940s items, all populated with re-enactors well-versed in their roles and able to interact and answer questions about their experiences in character. Friday and Saturday night will have a 1940s big band dinner dance held in an aircraft hangar.
Of course the main attraction is the planes, and the show has a very impressive roster. In addition to the large MAAM collection, a wide array of of aircraft are scheduled to perform in the air show and there are literally too many to list here.
Guest flight experiences will be on offer from a plethora of planes, so this may be your best chance to get some airtime in your favorite warbird. The following planes are now taking reservations for flight experiences: The Commemorative Air Force will have their B-29 Super Fortress “Fifi”, B-24 Liberator “Diamond Lil”, Douglas SDB-5 Dountless, Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, North American P-51D Mustang “Red Nose”, and their Beechcraft C-45F Expeditor “Bucket of Bolts”. The Mid Atlantic Air Museum will have flight experiences available in their North American T-6 Texan, Boeing Stearman and Vultee Valiant, also offering flights will be the B-17 Flying Fortress “Yankee Lady“, North American B-25 Mitchell “Panchito” and the Fairchild PT-19 “Cornell” with more planes being added to the line up as the show dates approach.
Advance and discounted tickets to the Air Show and other festivities are available HERE.
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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