American Airpower Museum Hosting 'Living History Flights' On LI

FARMINGDALE, NY — The American Airpower Museum of Farmingdale has set four 2025 dates for its C-47 D-Day Living History Flight Experience to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the museum announced.

People can experience part of what paratroopers felt during D-Day.

"AAM’s mission is to educate the public about aviation history and in particular, the important role that military aviation has played in defense of the United States during World War II and beyond," a museum spokesman said in a news release. "Our flights are an excellent way to teach present day Americans what it was like to participate in an actual combat mission during WWII."

The four scheduled Saturday flights are on May 3, June 28, Sept. 6 and Oct. 4. Rain dates are next day Sunday.

Passengers will get to fly in an original WWII Douglas C-47 Skytrain "Second Chance" and be joined by the museum's living historians for a "breathtakingly realistic and unforgettable recreation of
what U.S. Paratroopers experienced on D-Day."

Three flights are set for each date, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., with a fourth in case of extra demand.

Seats are allocated a first come, first served basis and book up fast. People can book flights online by visiting the American Airpower Museum website and clicking on the Flight Experience tab. Or they may call 516-531-3950, 631-454-2039, or visit AAM’s gift shop Wednesday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale.

"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 as re-enactors, to give a sense of what 101st and 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers felt on their incredible 1,200-plane D-Day assault, when Allied forces stormed the coast of Northern France," the museum stated. "The crew are all licensed pilots, some in the reserves or ex-military, who have flown our C-47 and other restored aircraft for several years."

The commanding officer is famous WWII Living Historian Robert Scarabino, director of the 101st Airborne Living History Group, who has led AAM’s C-47 D-Day flights since 2003.

With his 101st Airborne Living Historians, Honorary Captain Scarabino transports passengers back in time, according to the museum. The flight experience as a WWII paratrooper includes: a mission briefing for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation which launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II; a chance to wear authentic military field jackets, helmets, and gear throughout the mission; the rare chance to take flight in an original WWII C-47, one of the last few true C-47s still in original military condition.

The 506 PIR CO starts off in the Hangar 3 "Ready Room," with walls covered by maps of the French coast. He lays out the objective: destroy a Nazi German garrison and secure causeways leading to the beach.

Before dismissing his "paratroopers," he will issue them a tourniquet, a box of what was meant to be morphine, plus a reminder to take out a GI life insurance policy.

"You’ve been training hard and fast for two years," Scarabino shouts to the room full of his soldiers. "God bless you, and I’ll see you in the assembly area."

Once on board, Scarabino’s "paratroopers" will experience the sights, smells and sounds as the C-47’s mighty engines fire up, and the plane flies off into the blue. Eventgoers will watch the crew operate their C-47 as "paratroopers" get ready for battle. As the plane flies over Jones Beach, everyone lines up and gets ready to parachute down.

"They will relive the WWII experience right up to the very moment when each soldier hooks up their parachute to the above static line and gets ready to jump!" the museum wrote. "Many participants reported they were sweating and hearts racing because it was so realistic!"

After about half an hour in the air, the aircraft returns to Republic, taxis to Hangar 3 and passengers disembark.

Each passenger was assigned the identity of a member of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

Once back in the hangar, each pulls a card from their pocket and finds out the actual paratrooper’s fate whose identity they assumed.

"For most, this exciting flight experience represents a teachable moment you’ll never forget!" the museum wrote. "This is a wonderful way to educate Americans about WWII and our Greatest Generation veterans. You’ll support AAM’s mission to honor veterans and military aviation history, by helping to maintain and preserve these iconic aircraft, along with the Museum’s incredible static exhibits."

Cost for each C-47 flight is $375. A flight experience entitles someone to bring an additional person who can watch the flights take off and land, plus visit AAM’s exhibits all day free of charge.

Others may also wish to visit AAM on these four scheduled dates, just to watch each flight and tour the museum.

In that case, admission for adults is $20, $15 for seniors and veterans and $10 for children ages 5-
12. No tickets or pre-registration is needed for regular admission.

"Second Chance," an original WWII C-47B, was transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1945 and flew in the Berlin Airlift (1948 - 1949) with the RAF, serving until 1950. The aircraft next served in the Belgian Air Force for two years. In 1952, the aircraft went to the French Air Force, serving two years in Vietnam, as well as in India, Algeria, Morocco and the Congo. In 1967, the aircraft was sold to Israel and flew in the Israeli Defense Force for 32 years. AAM acquired the aircraft in 2000.

In addition to AAM’s D-Day flights, "Second Chance" also performs at regional air shows in classic WWII D-Day markings with the original “D8” code. One of the last C-47Bs still in stock military configuration, this aircraft has just over 17,000 hours in the air, one of the world’s lowest flight times ever.

The family-friendly program is for all ages and a wonderful way to educate young Americans about WWII and how U.S. military veterans fought to defend our freedom, according to the museum.

"Support AAM’s mission to honor veterans and military aviation history by helping maintain and preserve the museum’s iconic aircraft," the museum wrote.