Interesting Facts About Those WWII Warbirds Over DC

You may have noticed 56 WWII-era planes flying over normally tightly restricted airspace in honor of the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day. Kelley Drye's Georgetown office hosted lawyers and local vets to watch the warbirds zoom over the Potomac. We snapped DC managing partner Kathleen Cannon (who moved into the role in January after Lew Rose was appointed firm managing partner) and international trade partner Laurence Lasoff on one of the office's balconies.

Some members of the government contracts group gathered with the Kennedy Center in the background: partner Bo McGrath, senior associate Elizabeth Johnson, senior adviser Joe Corrigan (who went to West Point and spent 23 years in the army), associate Amba Datta, practice chair Holly Roth, partner William Jack and summer associate Alexandra Barbee. Bo and William joined from Barnes & Thornburg, where William chaired the defense, aerospace and national security group.

It's very unusual for so many vintage aircraft to be flown at once, says Kelley Drye ad law partner August Horvath. There are usually no more than six to eight in one place—this event had 56. Each plane is privately owned and costs at least $2M-$3M, he tells us. (We'll start saving for our collection.) An aviation enthusiast, August grew up watching planes with his pilot father, and now has a website with an extensive collection of aircraft photography. Thanks to his knowledge of vintage aircraft, some of the owners of plane that flew for VE Day have called him in the past for advice on restoration. He's wearing a B-17 pin that was a gift from a WWII veteran.

Planes flew in 15 different formations replicating actual formations from major battles, and ended with a missing man formation. After we watched them go over the Potomac, they flew over the Kennedy Center and on to the National Mall. August tells us some of the planes were one of the last of their model remaining in the world.