GO & DO
Take a spin in a WWII war bird

Here's a chance to ride in a World War II aircraft this weekend while supporting a worthwhile endeavor.

The public is invited to fly in a restored, single-engine, T-6 Texan or open cockpit Stearman biplane, used to train WWII combat pilots. The planes will be at Tamiami Airport as part of the annual Barnstormer Tour, a fundraiser for the group History Flight. The nonprofit organization's mission is to locate the remains of soldiers missing in action from WWII.

In November, History Flight made history when, during a second trip to Tarawa Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, the group found the remains of 139 U.S. Marines -- there were nearly 500 soldiers listed as missing in action in the Battle of Tarawa in 1943.

More than 78,000 WWII soldiers and civilians are still recorded as missing, according to History Flight Director Mark Noah, an airline pilot based in Miami.

The flights will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, 12800 SW 145th Ave.

Flights start at $245 and are tax-deductible donations. There's no charge to look at the planes and watch the flights.

For more information, visit www.historyflight.com. Or call 1-888-743-3311.

Ellie