With the 70th anniversary of theBerlin Airlift coming up in June, a smallgroup of volunteers has been assembling a fleet ofvintage aircraft tore-create the famed CandyBomber missionoriginated by Gail Halvorsen in 1948. Although the airlift began in 1948, it carried on until 1949 so thecommemoration will occur next year, in conjunction with the 75thanniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. Thus far organizers Peter Braun, Thomas Keller and Jrg Siebert have commitments from 35 aircraft operators, with airplanes coming from all over the world.
The organizers arehoping to raise about €5 million to fund the event and have established awebsiteto help with raising money.No fewer than 21 aircraft are coming across the pond from the U.S. alone, which willrequirea trans-Atlantic crossing originating in Connecticut ingroups of sevenaircraft.AVweb reported on theDaks Over Normandyproject during our Sun’n Fun coverage. The remainder of the aircraft are coming from Europe, South America and even Australia.
Formore on the Berlin Airlift, see Paul Bertorelli’sbloghere andaccountswritten by two pilots who actually flew in the airlift.
