MONROE COUNTY — If you're in Bloomington or Monroe County, keep your eyes on the sky this weekend. There's a good chance you could see a plane that helped train service members during World War II.
Indiana's wing of the Commemorative Air Force is flying in several actual World War II planes for the Monroe County Airport's Aviation Weekend. The first plane, a BT-13 built in 1942, parked on the tarmac Friday afternoon.
"We educate, inspire and honor," said Tim Sparks, a Navy air veteran who pilots and maintains the BT-13 with the Commemorative Air Force. "I do that by having people come out and see this piece of living history."
Three planes will offer rides in the sky during the weekend: Sparks' BT-13, a Stearman, and a PT-26.
Sparks' BT-13 is an intermediate training plane used by both the Army and the Navy. He said he is inspired to keep in the air by the teenagers who learned to fly in a BT-13, including his father.
"He actually got winged shortly after Pearl Harbor," recalled Sparks. "He had a total of about 15 hours in the BT-13 and I now have more than 100 hours of flying one. Basically, I beat my dad at one thing."
Sparks is enthusiastic about the chance to take children between the ages of 8 and 17 up in the plane whenever he can.
"Unfortunately the online registration is all filled up, but if you show up, we'll make every effort to get them a ride," Sparks said.
The pilots will offer Aviation Weekend rides between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday and between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, weather permitting.
Monroe County Airport Aviation Weekend starts with a free showing of Top Gun: Maverick in the IU Hangar on Friday at 8 p.m.
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