World War II training plane takes flight over Monroe County

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.

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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."

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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.

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"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.

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"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.

WRTV

Monroe County Airport Aviation Weekend starts with a free showing of Top Gun: Maverick in the IU Hangar on Friday at 8 p.m.