WARBIRD Fly-Over And Air Show At Legendary Ship On June 1
The Queen Mary, a luxurious cruise liner of her day which was converted to a troop-carrying ship to send Americans to Europe to fight Hitler in the 1940s, salutes her past just past Memorial Day with a special event on Thursday, June 1.
The Los Angeles attraction now berth permanently in Long Beach is hosting an WWII Salute event that includes a ‘WARBIRD’ Fly-over and aerial demonstration above the ship.
Joining war re-enactors and others on the ship that day will be “War Dog,” a restored North American AT-6/SNJ WWII trainer piloted by longtime aviator John Collver. The AT-6 was central to most air combat training programs and this restored plane will perform its combat ballet at 5:30 p.m.. It will roar past at more than 200 mph just a few hundred feet above the Queen Mary’s decks.
The Queen’s Salon area, where Bob Hope once performed wartime comedy routines, is hosting WWII re-enactors, present historic memorabilia displays and Queen Mary WWII video screenings. The California Historical Group will be roaming the ship outfitted in WWII uniforms and this is enhanced by popular tunes of the 30s and 40s brought to life by swing dancers and vocalists performing on the Verandah Deck.
Admission to the ship and WWII Salute will be complimentary after 3 p.m. Queen’s Salon activities run from 3-8 p.m. Musical Acts are from 3:30-7:30 p.m., and the Airshow starts at 5:30 p.m.
The Glory Days Tour and new 4D Theater Movie will be $5. Parking is $10 after 3 p.m. A Cash bar and food concessions will be on the Promenade Deck.
The Queen Mary served as a troopship during WWII. With the nickname ‘Grey Ghost” she safely ferried over 800,000 Allied personnel to war fronts across the globe. Nazi U-boat commanders desperately sought to collect the bounty placed on the Queen Mary; none came close. The Memorial Day program is part of the Queen Mary’s ongoing Community Service Salon Series.
Link: Queen Mary website
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