Open House June 22 Will Commemorate 80th Anniversary of D-Day

Kim Stevens Aerospace Education, Aviation Education, Georgia

Photo above – Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Airbase Georgia invites the public to its June 22 Open House to view WWII aircraft and other activities, in honor of the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. Airbase mechanics spend years restoring vintage WWII aircraft so the public can see and hear them in flight, or actually ride in one. Here, Maintenance Officer Randy Hawkins completes metalwork on a P-47 Thunderbolt undergoing restoration. (Photo courtesy of CAF Airbase Georgia)

Sights and sounds of the 1944 Allied invasion of Europe will be recreated at the CAF Airbase Georgia Summer Open House June 22, commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. All activities will be at the Airbase hangar, 1200 Echo Ct., Peachtree City, adjacent to the Atlanta Regional Airport – Falcon Field, from noon to 4 p.m.

Sit in on a reenactment of a bomber mission briefing, have a dog tag made, and enjoy the fleet of meticulously restored World War II aircraft on display and in the air at the Airbase Georgia hangar. For more excitement, book a Living History Flight Experience on one of the Airbase vintage aircraft available that day. Flights may be booked in advance at https://airbasegeorgia.org, subject to aircraft availability.

Volunteers dressed as Rosie the Riveter and WWII military personnel will add to the 1940s atmosphere. Exhibits and activities will include bomber turrets, paratrooper gear, a Link trainer, memorabilia for sale, and refreshments from a local food truck. The National Infantry Museum will be on hand with authentic equipment used by the U.S. Army in the fight to liberate Normandy. Visitors also may view aircraft undergoing restoration, including a Stearman biplane and a P-47 Thunderbolt.

“This may be the only event in the Atlanta area commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day,” said Airbase Leader Joel Perkins. ‘The mission of the Commemorative Air Force is to honor, inspire and educate. Airbase Georgia is proud to honor such a momentous event as a tribute to those who gave so much for the Allied victory in World War II.”

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.