BERN TWP., Pa. – If you’re in Berks County this weekend, you may see and hear several planes, but many of them aren’t from modern day.
It’s the World War II Weekend at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum at the Reading Regional Airport.
The time traveling event is in its 35th year and shares the history of aviation and what our veterans lived through.
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“It’s been explained to me by other people that have come. It’s as close as you can get to a time machine,” said Steve Messner, the officer manager at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum.
The 35th Annual World War II Weekend transports you to many places throughout time.
“We’re in the Spider Web, which was a bar that was located on Guadalcanal at Henderson Field,” said Terry Sroka, the former airport manager and volunteer with the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum.
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Recreated by a real photo of the bar, it’s been a staple at the weekend event for 16 years and an important stop to many WWII Veterans.
“When they sit down here and start talking to us, it takes them back and they start telling us things that they normally wouldn’t of told their family,” he added.
Walking through the fields, you’ll find more than 1,000 reenactors that are dedicated to sharing the history of those before them.
It’s a tradition and spectacle for many stopping by looking to learn.
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“All the vehicles, the planes. Last year we found out that Jeep actually wasn’t started by Jeep, it was started by Ford,” said Christopher Burrell, from Lancaster County.
“We come every year,” added Shayna Burrell.
Sights you’ll never forget travel across the runaway, like one from a long-range strategic bomber B-17.
Preps before the flight of the 81-year-old plane are crucial. The team showed us how to make sure the props are cleared of oil.
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“The sound of these engines is like no other,” said Mike Garrett, a tour director with the Commemorative Air Force Airbase Arizona.
A B-17 offers ticketed ride alongs, and Garrett says many do it to honor a family member who stood in that very role.
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“Especially for those who passed away in combat, it can be very emotional. Sometimes they come off with tears of joy and tears of sadness,” he said.
The World War II Weekend features many types of events throughout the weekend, including a swing dance Friday night and Saturday, and air shows on both Saturday and Sunday.