WWII Weekend at Reading Pa.

[kalamazookid]

Panchito and Hairless Joe both flew Sunday. Panchito gave at least one or two ride flights in the morning and then got towed way off to the other end of the airport. Not sure why, but I'm assuming something mechanical. Hairless Joe flew in the show Sunday afternoon along with Placid Lassie, a C-45 and Take-off Time. The C-45 flew in a formation with both C-47s. Diamond Lil taxied around for a couple minutes early in the morning, but I never saw it move again.

Here are some pics of the P-61. More of the show in another post.

IMG_6873 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_6876 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_6878 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_6883 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_6887 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_6906 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_6920 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4672 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4671 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4675 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4688 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4695 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4701 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

[wls3]

Some more photos from Sunday. I also saw "Hairless Joe" and "Panchito",
but only "Hairless Joe" flew in the show.

[kalamazookid]

I will definitely be back! I've had this show talked up to me a lot and, if anything, it was undersold. Everything about WWII Weekend is awesome. If you get to go every year, don't take it for granted - there aren't many other places that do things like this. Some of my highlights:

- Stan Musick's Corsair aerobatics. The photo pass on Saturday created quite the buzz in the area where I was sitting!
- The Pacific Theatre flight was awesome, especially on Sunday. I don't get to see Wildcats in the air too often, so that was a special treat.
- Toured "Beach City Baby" and the C-97. I'd seen "Beach City Baby" before, but this was my first time touring it. Heard from one of the crew that one of the family members of the crew on the original aircraft visited on Friday.
- The ground vehicles in the Seabee display were awesome!
- First time seeing "Kwitcherbitchin" and "Luck of the Irish." Both were impressive. I love seeing PTO Mustang schemes. Much more interesting than the ubiquitous 8th AF schemes.
- Finally got to check out the P-61 restoration!
- Seeing "Fifi" in the air is ALWAYS a treat.
- P-63 aerobatics three days in a row! I think I'd seen P-63 aerobatics once before.

A selection of photos below. Complete gallery here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAGDym

IMG_4453 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4652 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4654 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4765 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_4908 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5007 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5235 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5261 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5275 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5319 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5326 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5664 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5898 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5873 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5929 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_5999 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_6524 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_7079 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_7007 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_7108 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_7163 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_7414 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

IMG_7504 by Matthew Vader, on Flickr

[phil65]

Great photos everybody... I guess I was wrong about a few things. I thought I saw another B-25 when I first got there at 9:30. I thought it was the Luck of the Irish that flew in the afternoon and maybe it was as well.
Placid Lassie dropping sticks in the afternoon was something to see. Again I think the CAF did a great job, flying right up until the end of the show. I hope to return someday..

Phil

[Pogo]

Killer pix - thanks so much for posting them, especially from this most interesting show!!

PS: Keep 'em coming...?

[DH82EH]

Thanks for all of the awesome photos folks.
Glad it was such a fun success.

[wls3]

Just some last photos from Sunday.
That blue sky was gone the next day as smoke from the wildfires in Canada
hit the northeast. Tuesday's visibility was down to less than a half mile.
Lots of outdoor events had to be cancelled for visibility and health reasons.
Luckily the show was over before the smoke arrived.

[Forgotten Field]

This year was the 25th year of 26 years I have attended this show. The only year I did not attend was 2020, due to the COVID cancellation. If you have an interest in WWII, you will not be displeased by this show. It is not properly advertised; it is truly a unique experience to attend as a visitor and see the vast display of everything WWII. In years past, you would see WWII Veterans quietly wandering around the place, many times enmeshed in their own thoughts and memories. Many, many times, I was told that this event brought back memories to WWII veterans which had never been spoken and were shared with families as their relative was at this event. It is an immersive display of all things WWII. From the civilian culture in the US where all the GI's originated in their home towns, to enlistment, to training, to service, to (simulated) combat, to all the services which kept them in combat represented by such things as the Brockaway Bridge Crane in the one photo, the medical battalions and field hospitals, and the jeeps flurrying around (230 vehicles were there this year), this event captures WWII in a way no other could capture it. I tell people, and I am not insincere about it, that my life is composed of WWII Weekend at Reading every June, and all the rest of the days between WWII Weekends at Reading.

You need to come to this event. First of all, its proceeds support the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum (www.maam.org) and the restoration and maintenance of its fleet of vintage aircraft. Second, by attending the event you give respect to the memories of the millions of Americans, and America's Allies (no disrespect intended, just too many to mention) who prosecuted WWII, defeated Nazi, Fascist, and Imperial Japanese totalitarianism and preserved the freedoms we enjoy today. Third, you will enjoy yourself. I haven't spoken to anybody who has attended this event who was un-impressed by its scope and practice.

I'm going to be honest here about some of the downsides of this event. There are some small discomforts to deal with in order to attend the event. First, $39.00 seems like a lot to pay to attend a single day for this type of event. I challenge you to find the other expansive WWII event which is cheaper and better. Second, you have to park remotely and take a bus to the grounds. The service is a bit slow at peak times, but that is what happens when you put an event on at a regional airport with limited parking surrounded by a busy industrial and commerical area. Third, I think they could do better with food vendors. Fourth, the weather can be hot. Lastly, I can also tell you that if you are a WWII-phile and know everything about WWII, you might notice some things which are not EXACTLY how they were in the period 1941-1945. If those things alienate you, I am sorry to say you will miss an incredible event if you can't put them aside. But it still is an incredible event.

I have told people that when this event comes to an end, as happens to all organically grown mass events like it,there will be such a lamentation about its loss precisely because it cannot be duplicated, and will never, ever be replaced. Many have tried to replicate this event, and either made a limited, grudging imitation, or failed to carry it off.

So come to the next event, which should be the first weekend in June 2024. I hope to see you. If you want to get together to talk about Sergeant Pilots, I'm your man, and will be there unless physically unable.

Best Regards,
Forgotten Field- 14th Liaison Squadron (Reenacted)

[k5083]

It has been some years now since I last attended, but I can support most of what Forgotten Field says. This event really is a unique scene, and if you live within a few hours' drive and have any interest in WWII, you owe it to yourself to go at least once.

The reenactor scene and other non-airplane parts of it are impressive in their extent. Personally I find it to be pretty much the same year after year, and some of it is a bit hokey/cringe, but it is absolutely worth experiencing once. It definitely helps you to feel immersed in the history of things, as many of the aircraft are parked within or beside the encampments. It's actually a bit surreal for an aircraft enthusiast to be at the event, because a lineup of great warbirds that ordinarily would be the sole focus of attention, are treated almost as mere set dressing and audio background to the activity on the ground!

Anyway, I tend to go only when something on the aircraft roster interests me, but I always enjoy it. One way to think of WW2WE is as the EXACT OPPOSITE of a drive-in warbird airshow where you sit in your car and watch the show. Which is a very, very good thing.

August

[phil65]

Yes, is definitely a unique place. I was simply asking somebody who had a display about coastal guns and next thing you know I was spending the next half hour listening to him and him showing me all the different equipment he had Including some very powerful lenses.. Or simply asking somebody about the different hand guns he had on display and next thing you know hes handing me every other one of them and telling me the uniqueness of them..
But I think this little tale explains it the best. As I was leaving I saw a small group of people around an elderly couple. Come to find out the man was a World War II veteran, so I reached out my hand and thanked him for his service. A person next to me asked if he could take his picture and he said yes, but you need to take a picture of my wife as well because she was a World War II nurse. You can't get that type of experience at too many shows...

Phil

[kalamazookid]

One way to think of WW2WE is as the EXACT OPPOSITE of a drive-in warbird airshow where you sit in your car and watch the show. Which is a very, very good thing.

August

I couldn't possibly agree more with this. Many airshows in my area are trending towards more expensive tickets with less of an experience to offer, not only in terms of number and variety of aircraft, but access to the aircraft. Unless one wants to spend extra on "upgraded" experiences that always used to be part of the general admission ticket, you're often stuck at the far ends of the flight line away from the action or with tents in your way. These experiences are sterile and not very fulfilling to attend. Reading was a breath of fresh air in comparison to these shows.

I'm going to be honest here about some of the downsides of this event. There are some small discomforts to deal with in order to attend the event. First, $39.00 seems like a lot to pay to attend a single day for this type of event. I challenge you to find the other expansive WWII event which is cheaper and better. Second, you have to park remotely and take a bus to the grounds. The service is a bit slow at peak times, but that is what happens when you put an event on at a regional airport with limited parking surrounded by a busy industrial and commerical area. Third, I think they could do better with food vendors. Fourth, the weather can be hot. Lastly, I can also tell you that if you are a WWII-phile and know everything about WWII, you might notice some things which are not EXACTLY how they were in the period 1941-1945. If those things alienate you, I am sorry to say you will miss an incredible event if you can't put them aside. But it still is an incredible event.

Personally, I didn't find many of these to be downsides. The $39/day actually felt like a bargain in comparison to what many shows around here charge for a lot less. A full day at Thunder Over Michigan STARTS at $198, for example (which I will flatly never attend again). Maybe you'll get a few more unique aircraft appearances, but the overall experience pales in comparison to Reading IMO. Cleveland will run you $60 for a full day ($30 GA, $30 to park), Dayton is $45+ (if buying in advance), Columbus is $90+ and Indianapolis is $160+ ($150 to park and $10 for each GA ticket LOL). All of these shows offer a fraction of the entertainment of Reading, unless you're really into jets and the same flippies you can see anywhere. Elkhart, which was also a re-enactment and airshow, was $30 and had maybe 1/4 of the aircraft that Reading did. I know Reading's price can be prohibitive for some, just offering another perspective based on what I'd have to pay for other shows in my area.

I didn't have any problems with the shuttle, but experiences may vary there. I'm one of the nerds who has to be in line before the gates open, so parking and riding in was easy. I always wait about a half hour after the flying ends to pack up at any show to give crowds time to thin out, and I got on the shuttle to leave quickly. I'm sure it can really suck in hot or inclement weather though - thankfully not too bad this year, other than Friday.

The food vendors, however, were definitely lacking. The stand with the beef sandwiches was ok, but the only other options seemed to be stuffed pretzels or rubber hot dogs. Where are the stands with grilled brats and sausages? That's airshow food!

[k5083]

I have been there in years where the heat was truly oppressive. Also some years where it rained for a week leading up to the show and the encampment area was a field of mud, with some low lying areas so marshy they had to be fenced off. To be honest, the misery almost adds realism to the experience.

I am sure there were good sausages in the past. It is appalling that you couldn't find any. In rural Pennsylvania of all places. Unacceptable.

August

[lucky52]

I don't know if they will ever get that P-61 in the air, or if they even plan to, but it will be a gorgeous display aircraft.