Air Show Pilots To Practice Flights At Muskogee Field For Pearl Harbor Reenactments

A team of air show pilots is practicing in Muskogee, training for the upcoming season they’ll start next month.

This weekend, March 16th, they'll be in the skies over Muskogee.

Eight planes that were once used for the 1970’s movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!” are now used for reenactments of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

I think it's incredibly important that we're able to show and tell the story of what happened on that day," said Tulsa-based pilot Mike Hastings. "These aircraft cover the entire country over our season.”

The mostly Texas-based pilots needed a practice field that wasn't busy, which they found in Muskogee.

They'll be in the air most of the day Saturday, practicing formation flying and the low-level runs they use during air shows, but here without the usual explosions.

“We have a whole pyro team that sets off explosives on the ground,” said team leader Doug Derr. “But this is just for the pilots. There's no pyro involved.”

The planes are maintained by the pilots who fly them, who consider it their contribution to keeping the history of World War II alive.

“We're honoring those that made this country what it is and made this country free,” said pilot Mike Anderson of Muskogee.

The pilots have practice flights scheduled all day Saturday and will return home Sunday with the first show planned for April.

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