Farmingdale Aviation Museum Offering D-Day Flight Simulations

FARMINGDALE, NY — If you've ever wanted to get a sense of what United States soldiers felt during their D-Day assault on Normandy during World War II, here's your chance.

Starting June 12, Farmingdale's American Airpower Museum’s (AAM) WWII Douglas C-47 Skytrain Troop Transporter will be giving those willing to pay its Living History Flight Experience. The flights are a means to celebrate the start of summer as well as a return to normalcy following the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the museum.

AAM has scheduled three flights for June 12 between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Seats will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. If you would like to book a flight, you can call 516-531-3950, visit the museum's gift shop or call 631-454-2039 from Thursday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A flight's cost is $350.

"AAM’s Living History Flight Experience is a one-of-a-kind immersive educational program, where reenactors take you up in an original WWII C-47 to get a sense of what our 101st and 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers felt on their incredible 1,200-plane D-Day assault," the museum stated.

The experience includes a mission briefing; the chance to wear authentic military field jackets, helmets and gear; the actual sights and sounds as the C-47’s engines fire up and heading off into the blue; see and hear the crew operate their C-47 and paratroopers getting ready for battle; and personally forming up and hooking a parachute to a static line.

AAM plans to conduct up to three flights on June 12th, starting at 10:00 a.m. The flights are a family-friendly experience for all ages, according to the museum.

The program will run roughly an hour-and-a-half-long, and each flight goes 25 minutes. A flight experience entitles a ticketholder to bring along an additional person who can visit the museum all day free of charge.

"Your contribution supports our mission to honor Veterans and U.S. aviation history by preserving the aircraft and their legacy for future generations," the museum stated.

American Airpower Museum is at Hangar 3, at 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale.