The American Airpower Museum (AAM) held two successful C-47 D-Day Living History Flight Experiences June 12^th and July 31^st.  Due to the program’s popularity and to meet overwhelming demand for more flights, AAM has scheduled another series for Saturday, October 9, 2021 (rain date Oct. 10^th).  Guests fly on an original WWII Douglas C-47 Skytrain Troop Transporter “Second Chance,” and they are joined by AAM’s Living Historians who deliver a breathtakingly realistic and unforgettable recreation of what U.S. Paratroopers experienced in the Invasion of Normandy.  There are four flights October 9, 2021, between 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.  Seats are allocated first come first served and they’re going fast, so act now to book your C-47 flight by calling (516) 531-3950 or (631) 454-2039 or visit the Museum’s gift shop Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Hangar 3, Republic Airport, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735.

AAM’s Living History Flight Experience is a one-of-a-kind immersive educational program, where Living Historians join you in an original WWII C-47 to give a sense of what 101^st and 82^nd Airborne Division Paratroopers felt on their incredible 1,200-plane D-Day assault.  Living Historians are led by Robert Scarabino, Long Island’s noted WWII Living Historian, who has organized AAM’s C-47 D-Day Living History Flight Experiences since the program’s inception in 2003.  This is a family-friendly program for all ages.  Each program segment is about one hour long and each flight takes 25 minutes.  A flight experience entitles you to bring an additional person who can visit AAM’s exhibits free of charge.  This is a wonderful way to educate young Americans about WWII and the Greatest Generation.  Support AAM’s mission to honor Veterans and aviation history by helping to maintain and preserve these iconic aircraft, along with the Museum’s exhibits.  Cost of each C-47 flight: $350.

You may also wish to visit AAM on October 9th just to watch the flights and tour our Museum.  In that case, admission for Adults is $15, Seniors & Veterans $10 and Children 5-12 $8.  No tickets or pre-registration is needed for regular admission. 

Special Advisory:  Participants- Please arrive at AAM’s Hangar 3 at least 30 minutes before your flight’s posted Arrival Time.

Flight 1 – Arrival Time – 9:00 a.m.  You enter the “Ready Room” and suit up in authentic military field jackets, helmets and battle gear.  After a “Mission Briefing,” you join AAM’s 101^st Airborne Living Historians, board the C-47 and experience actual sights, smells and sounds as twin engines fire up and you’re off into the blue!  You hear and see the crew operate their C-47 as paratroopers ready for battle.  Finally, everyone attaches their parachute hooks to the overhead static line for a simulated jump.  The C-47 then returns to Republic, touches down and taxis back to Hangar 3 and you disembark.  Departure Time – 10:00 a.m.      

Flight 2 – Arrival Time – 10:30 a.m., Departure Time – 11:30 a.m.

Flight 3 – Arrival Time – 12:00 p.m., Departure Time –   1:00 p.m.

Flight 4 – Arrival Time –   1:30 p.m., Departure Time –   2:30 p.m. 

“Second Chance,” an original WWII C-47, was transferred to the Royal Air Force from the USAAF in 1945 and flew in the Berlin Airlift (1948 – 1949) with the RAF, serving until 1950.  The aircraft was next transferred to the Belgian Air Force and served for two years.  In 1952 she went to the French Air Force, serving two years in Viet Nam in the late 1950’s, as well as in India, Algeria, Morocco and the Congo.  In 1967 she was sold to Israel and flew with the Israeli Defense Force for 32 years.  She was offered for sale in 1999.  The aircraft was renovated by Aero Services and sold to the American Airpower Museum in 2001.  “Second Chance” regularly conducts AAM’s C-47 D-Day Living History Flights.  She also performs at regional air shows in classic WWII D-Day markings with the original “D8” code.  One of the last C-47s still in stock military configuration, the aircraft has just over 17,000 hours in the air, one of the world’s lowest flight times.

Contact: Robert F. Salant, Public Affairs, (516) 328-3959, rsalant123@outlook.com

The American Airpower Museum is an aviation museum located on the landmarked former site of Republic Aviation at Republic Airport, Farmingdale, NY.  The Museum maintains a collection of aviation artifacts and an array of aircraft spanning the many years of the aircraft factory’s history.  The Museum is a 501 (c) (3) Nonprofit Educational Foundation Chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.

The American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport is Long Island’s only flying military aviation museum.

The American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport

“Where aviation history takes flight”™

Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735 – (631) 293-6398

info@americanairpowermuseum.org – www.americanairpowermuseum.org