On a crisp, sunny Saturday morning in October, the skies above a west Chatham County field buzzed with the high-pitched sounds of dozens of model military aircraft. 

Nearly 200 people gathered for the 5th annual Warbird Fly-in, a commemoration for American service members who served their country and for those who never made it home. 

Pilot George Springer and spotter Bob Lane of the Tri-County R/C Flyers watch as two remote-controlled “warbirds” fly overhead. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

The meet-up of “warbirds,” a nickname for iconic vintage military aircraft, was hosted by the Tri-County R/C Flyers radio-controlled aviation club at the Staff Sergeant Anthony Davis Memorial Airfield. The site, located on Savannah Speedway Road, is named in honor of an Army Ranger and a former club member from Hunter Army Airfield who was killed by enemy fire while serving in Iraq.

Sam Hill’s Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 flies high above the airfield. This type of British biplane was used extensively as a fighter and reconnaissance aircraft during the First World War, enabling the Allied Forces to regain air superiority. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

Since 2018, the event has raised more than $15,000 for the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Pooler, which preserves the history of the famed unit that claims Savannah as its birthplace. 

Of the 405,399 U.S. military personnel killed in World War II, 26,000 served in the Eighth Air Force, which carried out strategic bombing missions over Europe. For many club members, the connection between their replica planes and the people who flew them runs deep. 

Damien Abadin’s B-25 Mitchell, is a model of a medium bomber used around the world during WWII. The B-25 was used in the 1942 Doolittle Raid, when 16 of the planes were launched from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to strike Tokyo in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

The 20 pilots who participated in this year’s fly-in brought more than 50 aircraft, ranging from small foam beginner models to large-scale, hand-built replicas that cost thousands of dollars. Many are finished with historically accurate paint schemes, rivet patterns, and squadron markings.

Club president Paddy Dill of Beaufort builds his planes from laser-cut wood and custom 3D-printed parts, working piece by piece to recreate aircraft tied to specific pilots and squadrons. Dill, a Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Desert Storm, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, discovered R/C flying at the age of 13. His passion stayed with him throughout his military service.

Paddy Dill and his custom-built L-19 Bird Dog, a reconnaissance aircraft used during the Vietnam War. Dill built the painstakingly detailed model to honor his uncle, a mechanic, as seen in the photo displayed alongside the aircraft. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America
A model rear-gunner sits in the back of a Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber. Flown by the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific, the Dauntless was credited with sinking more enemy ships than any other aircraft, including six Japanese aircraft carriers. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America
“Dauntless Dottie,” a P-47 Razorback owned by 88-year-old Vietnam veteran Ed Farrell and named after the retired Air Force colonel’s wife, Dottie. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

During his time in a special forces reconnaissance unit, he often called in air support while under fire. “I have a lot of respect for the pilots in those airplanes,” Dill said. “They have saved my life in the pinch.”

The club provides a sense of community for military veterans like Savannah’s Jamal Barrow, where the hobby not only satisfies his love of aviation but also acts as a bond to a past chapter of his life. A veteran of the Army and Air National Guard, Barrow retired after 28 years of service and now acts as the club’s vice-president. 

“It gives me something to work on with my hands,” he said. “It is a way to stay connected to that part of my life. To me, it is more than a hobby.”

At the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum, Jamal Barrow holds his R/C B-17 in front of the “City of Savannah,” the 5000th B-17 Flying Fortress processed through Hunter Army Airfield, where Barrow was also stationed. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

Marine Corps veteran and pilot Damien Abadin, from Beaufort, put it simply: “They were out there putting their lives on the line for what they believed in. For America. It was an honorable thing, an honorable sacrifice.”

Damien Abadin stands with his R/C US Navy T-34 Mentor, a model of a training aircraft first introduced in the 1950s. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

Club members say their model aircraft sparks the interest of younger generations in aviation, engineering, and science. The club has partnered with the Mighty Eighth Museum to offer STEM programs that introduce aerodynamics and basic flight concepts. 

“They act exactly like full-scale planes,” said club member and longtime pilot Colin Knox of Savannah. “All the aeronautical traits are the same.”

Colin Knox stands with his P-40 Warhawk, which was modeled after the plane used by the “Flying Tigers,” the American Volunteer Group, a unit that fought alongside China during the early part of World War II. In 1942, the AVG shot down 289 Japanese fighters while only losing 12. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America
Gary Woodruff’s scale replica of “Pinkie,” a P-51 Mustang long-range escort fighter flown by Lt. Elmer Smith of the 352nd Fighter Group, which flew during the invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

Barrow’s daughter is currently studying robotics at Savannah State, an interest he credits to her being exposed to remote-controlled aircraft at an early age.

“We all loved remote control anything when we were kids, and this bridges that gap,” said Dawn Bronsan, communications director at the museum. “It gets a younger generation interested in aviation and the history behind these planes. That is always important, and it is fun.”

Steve Strickland’s F4 Corsair, designed as a carrier-based fighter-bomber for the US Navy and Marine Corps in WWII. The Corsair flew over 64,000 missions during the war, almost half of the total sorties flown in the Pacific theater. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

On most clear afternoons, members of the Tri-County R/C Flyers can be found at their home airfield, their eyes to the sky. They are eager to share their knowledge with anyone who wants to learn, watch, or simply discuss the harrowing stories from a past era when “Warbirds” and the men who flew them dominated the skies.

Jose Rodriguez’s P-47 Thunderbolt does a 60 mph low pass over the airstrip. With its heavy armament and extra fuel tanks, the P-47 allowed for extended protection to the bombers flying over Nazi occupied Europe. It also served as one of the most effective ground attack aircraft of the war, providing support to droops on the ground as they fought their way to Berlin. Credit: Justin Taylor/The Current GA/Catchlight Local/Report for America

Type of Story: Feature

A feature is a story that is less tied to daily news but brings insight into a community issue or topic.

Justin Taylor is a visual journalist based in Savannah. He is a Catchlight Local/Report for America Corps member. His versatile style blends elements of fine art, photojournalism, and drone photography. A...