More than two dozen World War II-era fighters and bomber planes will whoosh over Washington, D.C.’s most famous monuments on Friday to mark the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in Europe.
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright and hundreds of World War II veterans are expected to attend the flyover, which is open to the public and will start around noon, according to the organizers of the Arsenal of Democracy Flyover.
The event will force Washington’s Reagan National Airport to shut down for one hour, from noon to 1 p.m.
The former military planes will fly in sequenced formations recounting the biggest battles of World War II, from Pearl Harbor to the final assault on Japan.
The planes will fly over D.C.’s National Mall, from the Lincoln Memorial to the World War II Memorial.
The planes, including the P-38 Lightning, FG-1D Corsair, P-51 Mustang, B-25 Mitchell and the only flying B-29 Superfortress, will also be on display Saturday for a one-day exhibition at Washington Dulles International Airport.