Event Details
April 18 @ 3:00 pm - April 20 @ 4:00 pm
To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII, we will host, the R4D Ready 4 Duty, from the Commemorative Air Force, which will be on display on the ramp and open for tours, and a TBM Avenger from Vintage Flying Machines.
Built in 1944, Ready 4 Duty is a Douglas R4D-6S—the U.S. Navy’s version of the legendary DC-3 and C-47. Ready 4 Duty is embarking on a transatlantic journey from Texas to Europe to honor the service and sacrifice of American and Allied sailors. Its ambitious 12-week, 12,000-mile Navy to Victory Tour includes appearances at more than a dozen aviation and ceremonial events across the southern and eastern U.S., Iceland, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands, from April through July.
On its mission to Europe, Ready 4 Duty will carry artifacts from surviving U.S. World War II-era warships—including the USS Yorktown, Battleship Texas, and USS Laffey—as part of the Navy to Victory Tour. This exhibition, assembled specifically for the tour, marks the first time that artifacts from so many U.S. WWII warships will be publicly displayed together.
A special ceremony will take place at 1 PM on Saturday, April 19th and flights will be available for purchase throughout the weekend.
We will also have a TBM Avenger from Vintage Flying Machines! Painted in the distinctive white and grey markings used in the North Atlantic, this aircraft will be helping us share the history of the Battle of the Atlantic! World War II’s longest running campaign, it was fought within sight of land here in Virginia! Aircraft like the TBM would prove vital in containing, and eliminating the U-Boat menace.
Take a once-in-a-lifetime flight aboard ‘Ready 4 Duty,’ the last authentic U.S. Navy R4D-6S from WWII still flying. Travel back to 1944 and feel what it was like to hunt German U-boats along the U.S. coastline while you ride alongside depth charges and medical litters. See for yourself why after the War, the rugged Navy Douglas R4D was the first aircraft to land at the South Pole in 1956.
‘Ready 4 Duty’ is briefly stopping in VA Beach on her way from Texas to Europe to as part of the NAVY TO VICTORY TOUR to commemorate the 80 th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day (May 8). All ride proceeds go to support the mission.
See below aircraft pics to book R4D Ride Flight!
R4D Photo Credit: Dylan Phelps – Centerline Images
