Friday, May 08, 2015

Arsenal of Democracy flyover

Four P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft fly over Washington, D.C., May 8, 2015, during the "Arsenal of Democracy" air show over Washington, D.C., May 8, 2015. 

It's kind of cool - and a bit sad - seeing old aircraft fly in formation. You don't expect to ever see something like the Arsenal of Democracy, but there they are. 

Today marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War 2 in Europe. Seven decades later the aircraft that helped win that war, probably flown by the pilots' children and grandchildren, zoomed across the capital in a show of history, and probably even power. A collective, physical symbol of the last "good" war. These are the aircraft, piloted by men, who saved the world from fascism.

I went down to photograph it with other photographers near the Exposed DC tent at the Jefferson Memorial. Fifty aircraft flew in various formations. Just about every model of plane was there, and they represented every era of America's involvement. Everything from observation aircraft to SBD Dauntless' to P-51 Mustangs to the only still-flying B-29 Super Fortress flew.

We're slowly losing our World War 2 vets. Most are, at the youngest, in their early 90s now. With their passing in a few years we'll lose another connection to the history that made us as a nation. 

It struck me today that, with that generational passing, the commemorations of that war will become more and more low key. Who knows how long the planes we saw today will be flown. It's an expensive endeavor to maintain them. The veterans won't be able to tell us funny stories, to give the truly human side of war. But we'll still have the physical symbols of that power - the aircraft. 

And that's why it's cool and a bit said. The humans who fought and came back and built this nation will be gone. 







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