The Vimy Flight Group commemorated 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge at Windsor International Airport over the weekend.
Aviation enthusiasts, and former military pilots took two Nieuport biplane replicas for a spin around the airport for spectators.
Nieuport biplanes were predominantly used in WWI.
They sure fly low. #cklw pic.twitter.com/qoetQQfW7W
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) July 23, 2017
The replicas are the very same planes that were flown over the Vimy Ridge Memorial in France in a ceremony in April.
Planes from both World Wars were put on display in the main hangar for the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association.
They also held a presentation detailing the planes history.
Canadian Historical Aircraft Association Vimy Flight Birth of a Nation @YQG_Airport. Planes about to take to the air. #cklw pic.twitter.com/IWyyk73wZN
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) July 23, 2017
Derek Stinson and his family took everything in. He told AM800 News the original plan was to see the planes out of town.
"We were actually planning on going to Hamilton's air museum when we found out they were going to be there, but we couldn't make it. When we found out they were going to be here we thought it would be a great opportunity to see it," He says.
Stinson and his daughter share a few hobbies related to older war machines — he says getting a chance to see these planes in flight before they're all gone is something special.
"For people to see history, especially being functional, they had an Lancaster [Bomber] here a couple years ago for one of the the air shows and there's not many of those left that are actually still in flight, so it's a great opportunity to see planes like that," says Stinson.
Planes come from are getting harder and harder to find, he says.
"I like the vintage planes, it's not often you get to see them," says Stinson. "I've seen other ones, I've been to other air shows, I've seen bi-planes, but I've never seen these WWI planes."
The planes took off and circled the airfield several times for spectators throughout the weekend.
Canadian Historical Aircraft Association Vimy Flight Birth of a Nation @YQG_Airport. Start your engines. #cklw pic.twitter.com/8qOhmjbMbi
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) July 23, 2017