WRIGHT- PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The 2022 History & Heritage Race Series opened registration for the last virtual race of the season Oct. 1, featuring the C-47 Skytrain.
One of the most famous U.S. Army Air Corps aircraft, the C-47, nicknamed “Gooney Bird” for its resemblance to an albatross, distinguished itself as a versatile cargo plane, dropping over 50,000 paratroops on D-Day, participating in the Berlin Airlift, and later serving the Korean and Southeast Asian Wars.
For more information on the C-47, visit the National Museum of the United States Air Force or read about the aircraft here: https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196271/douglas-c-47d-skytrain/
The upcoming event marks the sixth and final virtual race in the series’ second season and follows the 26th Air Force Marathon, which took place in-person Sept. 17 after going virtual for two years.
While the Air Force Marathon, held annually the third Saturday in September, features aircraft still in service, the History & Heritage Race Series highlights retired aircraft that gave wings to the Air Force’s legacy.
The sixth race in the History & Heritage Series will begin Nov. 1. Participants may run or walk the full marathon, half marathon, 10K or 5K distance wherever they’d like, track it with a GPS device to confirm mileage and time, and upload their results.
Participants can also look forward to the 2023 virtual series, with registration and the revealing of the featured aircraft for the first race beginning December 1, 2022.
For more information and to register for races, visit http://usafvirtual.com.