Wings on Display WWII Airport Day returns Sept. 6, 2025, to Mark Anton Municipal Airport (2A0) in Dayton, Tennessee, after the success of the inaugural event in 2024.
The free event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature an aircraft display with more than 20 warbirds and more than 40 show planes, live music, and a Kids Zone.
“In September of 2024 we created the Wings on Display Airport Day with 30 aircraft, live local music, food trucks, and a kids zone with fun and games. We had a great turnout and a very successful event with more than 6,000 visitors,” said Bryan Janisch, Airport Director. “The community response was so great we decided to do it again and with this year being the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II we decided to focus on creating an event for this celebration.”
The Grand Marshall for the event will be World War II Navy veteran Joe Wilson, 98, a resident of the Tennessee State Veterans Home in Cleveland, Tennessee, who joined the Navy at the age of 17 in 1944. He will be accompanied by 10 of his fellow veterans from the Veterans Home along with staff, according to Janisch.
Warbirds expected to attend the show include a C-47 that was involved in the D-Day invasion, a B-25 Mitchell bomber, the P-51 “Old Crow” Mustang which was once flown by triple ace Bud Anderson, an F-4 Wildcat, an F- 4U Corsair, a TBM Avenger, a PBY Catalina, and many more.
“This is only half of our program,” Janisch promises.
“We have nine other sections of aviation, include our Show Stoppers in which the T-33 Red Knight ‘MAGA’ jet will be on display, a Beechcraft section, flight schools, sporting aircraft, amphibious aircraft, and a special section highlighting the non-traditional aviation activities — hot air balloon, gliders, and paragliders,” he said.
“We will also have Chopper Hill, which will showcase our nation’s military with helicopters, military vehicles, and the Kelly’s Zeros, a World War II reenactment group who dress in the uniforms and bring memorabilia from the era, as well as other World War II historians. Finally, we will showcase the CAF Rise Above Tuskegee Airman and Women AirForce Service Pilots (WASP).”
Along with aviation, the day will feature live local musicians, more than 10 food trucks and a Kids Zone that will have attractions and carnival games, alongside educational booths and snacks.
Why do this?
“In a world where the average family spends $150 to just go to see a movie, we wanted to create an event for everyone to enjoy and to make it free,” Janisch said. “Family togetherness, a young child’s eyes lit up with excitement, or inspiring a young person to get into aviation is all the payment we need here at Mark Anton Municipal Airport. After all our goal and motto is ‘to inspire the youth of today to be the aviators of tomorrow.’ We also wish to honor all the brave service men and women from the greatest generation America ever had.”
Want to honor the vet in your family?
The event will feature a Jumbo-Tron screen in the center of the tarmac, which will play a memorial video featuring pictures of World War II veterans.
Local residents can upload a photo through email at [email protected]. It will also be displayed on the airport’s Facebook group page.
The cutoff date for submissions is Aug. 25, 2025.
For more information: Facebook.com/DaytonTNAirport
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