WWII Weekend & Airshow *Pictures*

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So for the past three years I have gone to the WWII weekend at the Reading, PA airport. It's a three-day event friday-sunday (usually the first weekend in June) that basically has WWII take over the airport. I've heard it's the United States' biggest and best WWII event/commemoration but I am unsure if that's a fact. I highly suggest to look into going next year for 2015…it is SO much fun and whether you like planes, re-enacting, food trucks, guns, or even none of that (I've brought my gf who isn't that really into this type of stuff but she still had a blast with the air show and walking around), I promise you will have a great time.

 

It includes about 100-200 re-enactors of both the American side and German side (and two Japanese soldiers I randomly saw) that set up encampments all around the tarmac. This allows you to jump back roughly 80 years ago and walk through the camps and experience life as a soldier in a platoon. There are all sorts of platoons such as the motor pool (motorcycles), heavy artillery, infantry, etc. So many things, big and small, are in these camps that it's a bit overwhelming - gun racks filled with guns, munitions, TNT displays, artillery, plus the little things like original/replica WWII lanterns, cots, plates, cups, canteens, and all that good stuff. There are home front and store displays as well. That's one thing that is really cool about this event, is everything seems to be very, very detailed and correct when it comes to the re-enactors, military vehicles, planes, etc.

 

Speaking of planes, there are quite a few dozen of every size from WWII trainers to P51 Mustangs to the massive B17G Flying Fortress. They have them sitting on the tarmac to allow you to take pictures of, drool over, look at all the details, and a few even allow you to crawl inside and check out the cockpit and other areas. Most, if not all of them, take to the skies all during the day and they have an expert narrator on the speakers telling you all sorts of cool facts about the planes and pilots and missions. Some of them you can actually reserve to ride in, but prepare to empty your wallet out as planes like the P51 Mustang are over $1,000 for 30mins of flight time. We did some calculations for the more expensive rides and although they do seem like a ton of money for a short flight, there are quite a few variables to take into consideration and the fact that you don't really get a chance to fly in a plane like that frequently. Next year I plan on taking a ride in either the B24 Liberator or the Texan AT-6.

 

There is a decent size flea market under tents (I'd guess over 100 vendors) that has everything about WWII for sale - women's pinup clothes, re-enacting accessories and clothes, kids toys, replica firearms, dvd's and books, art prints, and everything in between.

 

There are also other events like performances (Abbott and Costello also Sinatra impersonators, bands) as well as live bands and one of the more important parts of the WWII weekend, which is of course the veterans themselves. Some publicly speak on stage and tell their stories and experiences, as well as take Q&A's, while others you will see sitting underneath planes or vehicles they drove or rode in. All of them are very kind and very happy to take questions or chit-chat with them!

 

Ok so enough typing here, I didn't realize I wrote a book. Here is a link with about 70% of the photo's I took during saturday. I need to upgrade the GB usage for my Photobucket (aka, give them money) so this will be it for now until I do that.

 

I am in no way a professional photographer. I just love taking pictures and I am quite a newbie with my T2i but I am getting better, and you can see that in the photo's. I still need to work on my camera settings for taking pictures of very fast moving objects (planes) as I see lots of the plane pictures of flyby's are not fully focused (can anyone make suggestions…faster shutter speed?) Side note, one thing that bothers me about Photobucket is it doesn't load pictures in the right order you upload them in…so the first pictures of the day are last and the last pictures are first.

 

Link to my WWII weekend pictures:

 

http://s1356.photobucket.com/user/Wakeupandlive/library/Reading%20WWII%20Weekend%20and%20Airshow?sort=3&page=1

 

 

Some special shots I liked:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Damjan 73]

Wonderful.

 

Thanks for sharing this Drez,!!

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Yes

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[tuktuk 16]

Very kool !!!

Althou Hitler-Jugend with the mp40 is worrisome

[louu 399]

I forgot about this again, been wanting to go for years. Cool pictures Drez.

 

I never understood why any American would dress as a Nazi even if it is for a something like this...

 

 

 

Check out the Greenwood lake Air show in August.

[JimmyAGR 54]

Great pictures, really like the P-51 shot. I would love to ride in one of those, a bucket list item for sure.

[The_Matrix 105]

Will have to go next year.  

 

I like the Hitler youth with z uniform.