PEACHTREE CITY, GA, July 14, 2022 – Aviation research and development during WWII served as the launchpad for the space age that followed. Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Airbase Georgia will feature both eras with a series of speakers selected to highlight the dawn of the space age, as part of World War II Heritage Day Oct. 8, 2022. The one-day event at Atlanta Regional Airport – Falcon Field in Peachtree City, Ga., will offer visitors an opportunity to explore this important historical transition and enjoy a vintage car show, costume contest, warbird rides, demonstrations, food vendors and a 1940s victory dance.
The day-time activities run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., followed by a celebration swing dance in the hangar, with music until 7 p.m. All events will take place at the CAF Airbase Georgia headquarters, 1200 Echo Ct., Peachtree City, Ga. Visitors are encouraged to dress in their favorite World War II or space-age attire to enjoy the day and the dance and to be eligible for costume contest prizes.
Lt. Gen. Brian Arnold (Ret.) is the keynote speaker, focusing on the advances in technology from WWII to the space age. He served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 30 years, as a pilot and in positions related to space and missile systems. Gen. Arnold also will have a simulated conversation with a WWII pilot from the past to discuss advances in navigation, communication, and weather prediction in aviation. The pilot will be played by a National History Day state winner, Jonathan Dorminy.
Dr. Scott Norman, Director of Educational Services for Columbus State University’s Coca-Cola Space Science Center, will discuss the aviation technology transition in his presentation, “From the V-2 to Yuri Gagarin – the Origins of the Space Race”. He has been with the Space Science Center for 25 years and has a life-long interest in the space program and aviation.
A noted author will address the history of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. Dr. Daniel L. Haulman is author of “The Tuskegee Airmen – An Illustrated History”, and “The Tuskegee Airmen Chronology”. He worked at the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell Air Force Base for 37 years, retiring in 2019 as head of the organization’s organizational histories section. He is the author of eight aviation history books and was selected by the Air Force Historical Foundation for its prestigious Dr. I. B. Holley award, recognizing a lifetime of achievement in the documentation of Air Force history.
Dr. Robert B. Kane will speak about the unique topic of training thousands of Royal Air Force (RAF) cadets at U.S. Army Air Forces flight schools in the Southeast United States from June 1941 through February 1943. He spent 27 years in the Air Force, retired as a lieutenant colonel, and held a variety of information management, personnel management, education, and command positions at Air Force installations. He became an Air Force historian in 2005 and served as a staff historian at the Air Armament Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. and the Air Force Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala., including service as Chief Historian for Air University, Maxwell AFB. Dr. Kane has published “So Far from Home – Royal Air Force and Free French Flight Training in Central Alabama during World War II”; “Disobedience and Conspiracy in the German Army, 1918-45”; and co-authored “Cradle of Airpower: A Pictorial History of Maxwell Air Force Base, 1918-2018”.
WWII Heritage Day is the oldest and largest WWII and 1940s-themed event in Georgia. This year’s event will feature World War II aircraft, military vehicles, food trucks, living history displays and presentations. The programs will recognize how America recovered from the war and used promising new technology to usher in what is commonly referred to as “The Space Age”. Atomic energy, science fiction, space exploration, computing and automation were some of the prevailing interests of this era.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 11-17. Children 10 and under are free. Advance tickets are available online at https://airbasegeorgia.org/. Visitors who stay for the hangar dance will be able to buy snacks and beverages.
“In recent years, the Airbase programs have been intently focused on education with a mission to inspire the next generation of pilots, aviation mechanics and citizens,” said Airbase Leader Joel Perkins. “We want visitors of all ages to enjoy a full day of fun and educational activities as part of our 18th annual WWII Heritage Day.”
About the CAF Airbase Georgia Warbird Museum
CAF Airbase Georgia, based in Peachtree City, Ga., was founded in 1987. The Airbase is one of the largest units of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). The group maintains and flies seven vintage military aircraft including a P-51 Mustang, an FG-1D Corsair, an SBD Dauntless, and a P-63A Kingcobra. The Airbase, which is composed of more than 400 volunteers, has hosted WWII Heritage Days since 2003. The organization is also a founding partner of the Georgia WWII Heritage Trail launched in 2021. The Airbase is part of the CAF, a non-profit, tax-exempt organization that relies on contributions of time and funds to carry out its mission. For more information, go to https://airbasegeorgia.org/.
About the CAF
The Commemorative Air Force is the world’s largest flying museum, with a fleet of more than 180 World War II-era airplanes assigned to unit locations across the United States. Nearly all of the aircraft are kept in flying condition, enabling people to experience firsthand the sights and sounds of vintage military aircraft in flight. Supported by 13,000 volunteer members, the CAF is dedicated to honoring American military aviation through flight, exhibition, education and remembrance.
Contact:
Steve Forsyth
Public Information Officer
CAF Airbase Georgia
770-714-7750
sforsyth106@gmail.com