KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — To commemorate the 75th anniversary of when World War II ended, the Douglas C-47 “Hairless Joe” cargo plane will visit the Air Zoo Aerospace Science Museum on Saturday, August 15.
Officials say that this is the same type of aircraft used to fly supplies over the Himalaya Mountains in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II. It is operated by Yankee Air Museum.
The estimated time of arrival is 9:00 a.m. and the plane will be stationed at the Air Zoo on the tarmac by the Restoration and Flight Discovery Center.
The C-47 “Hairless Joe” owned and operated by the Yankee Air Museum was formerly known as “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” Based at historic Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti, officials say this plane pays homage to the crews operating in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater of World War II, especially the 1st Air Commando Group.
Among the most prolific operations the 1st Air Commando Group performed was that of flying missions over the Himalayas, which officials say was commonly called the “Hump.” The Burma Road was the major supply route into China. When the Japanese cut off the road as a supply line, the only way to get the vital supplies into China was over the Hump.
The Air Commandos began their operations with 13 C-47’s and 100 CG-4A Waco Gliders for transport operations. The C-47 Skytrain stood out as the workhorse of the CBI.
In addition to viewing, attendees can also pay for an Air Adventure ride inside the plane, with 30-minute rides available at $195. More details can be found at https://yankeeairmuseum.org/ and selecting “Fly With Us.”
Flights are currently available at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., but additional flight times may be added as customer demand warrants.
