If, like me, you’re a fan of Ice Pilots NWT and those glorious old DC-3’s and -4s featured on that series, you’ll want to watch Air Aces. The series premiered a few weeks ago on the History specialty network in Canada and also airs Stateside on the Military Channel. New episodes air Monday nights at 9 p.m.
Using real planes and re-creations with actors, the series pays homage to actual World War II flying aces and their exploits, as well as one Vietnam War-era exploit. This Monday’s episode salutes the famed Tuskegee airmen, a squadron of Black pilots who flew for the U.S. Air Force.
As you can see in the above video, I had the good fortune to head down to Hamilton, Ont., last summer to hear the unmistakable drone of the Lancaster’s four engines in action. Cineflix was shooting an episode paying homage to a brave airman who risked his own life by crawling out onto a wing in at attempt to put out a fire and save his fellow Lancaster crew members. Sgt. Norman Jackson was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions; read his incredible story here.
Hamilton’s Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum has one of two surviving Lancaster’s still in the air (out of 7300 produced!), as well as dozens of other beautifully restored aircraft from both World Wars and beyond. As any “prop-head” can tell you, there is no better place to see these vintage birds.
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