The low light in the Café Napoleon did nothing to disperse the air of conspiracy permeating the French Village. The café was more popular than usual because of the damp and cold outside and the warmth of the wood stove. Around the stove gathered a motley collection of German soldiers, villagers, and numerous strangers who had appeared only that morning. They talked quietly and peered out the windows at the relentless rain.

  Elsewhere in the sprawling countryside, mud was the rule. Despite a calendar that read June 5, almost winter-like weather presented the stalwart visitors with a stiff reminder of this day 65 years ago. On that June day, a great decision loomed. If the forecasters were right and tomorrow brought an end to nature’s storm, a man-made storm would be unleashed on the beaches of Normandy in the D-Day invasion.

  As it was in 1944, the forecast was right again and all was a “Go” for June 6. But this was a different kind of invasion. Visitors were lined up at the gates and aircraft began arriving out on the flight line. Scores of volunteers and twenty-seven shuttle buses struggled to park a huge crowd, augmented by many who had declared Friday a wash-out and were making up for it on a sunny Saturday.

  Soon, the partisans took out the sentries in the French village, and before long, Café Napoleon was hosting American GIs instead of German soldiers. But the “war” was far from over. The cafe would change hands more than once during the weekend. At the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s World War II Weekend in Reading, Pennsylvania, World War II is played out right in front of your eyes.

  World War II Weekend, in spite of imitators springing up through the country, remains unique in presenting the opportunity for so many to experience this amazing era and to personally thank those who gave so much. Much more than an airshow, World War II Weekend features a variety of re-enactors who dress in period garb and recreate many of the battles of World War II.

  The entire World War II Weekend is a highlight, but certainly the P-51B Mustang Old Crow and its original pilot, Bud Anderson, can be listed as a highlight of highlights. Fellow P-51 pilot Frank Speer also shared his adventures along with a vast number of other veterans, their numbers all the more impressive in light of their sadly diminishing numbers.

  Another of the outstanding aircraft on hand was the Supermarine Spitfire Mk XVIII, flown by Jim Beasley. Its technically post-war status did not detract a bit from the excitement of Jim’s aerobatic performance. Observers could get a bit wall-eyed trying to watch the all-star aerial cast which included a SB2C Helldiver, Corsair, SBD Dauntless, Mustangs, and B-25s cavorting in the air, while Allied and Axis troops were having at each other on the ground.

  Then there were the fashion shows, live old-time radio broadcasts, and Theresa Eamon and the “Ladies for Liberty” bringing back the music of the era. In addition, over 1,300 re-enactors, including President Roosevelt and Generals MacArthur and Patton, made their rounds. Into the night, big-band music and dancing kept the illusion alive as more visitors arrived, most decked out in period costume.

  “Our volunteers are the best,” said Museum President Russ Strine. “By Sunday night, the site was nearly returned to normal and by 8 a.m. Monday you couldn't tell there had been something going on at the airport.” Comments from visitors are uniform in their praise of the volunteers who cope with mud, rain, huge crowds, and long days and still maintain a friendly helpfulness that is the core of this show’s success.

  Probably one of the most frequently uttered phrases at World War II Weekend is “Next year we’re coming for all three days!” June 4, 2010 will begin the Twentieth World War II Weekend airshow. Definitely plan for a three-day stay!