Overview
- Three fully restored, airworthy Curtiss SB2C Helldivers from Fagen Fighters WWII Museum, the Commemorative Air Force Houston Wing, and Jim Slattery flew together in formation over Colorado Springs with the National Museum of WWII Aviation’s B-25 serving as a camera ship.
- The aircraft are on short-term public display at the National Museum of WWII Aviation, where visitors can see them in person during the special showing.
- The Commemorative Air Force’s Helldiver remains in Colorado and the organization has indicated it may offer public flights next weekend, a detail that is still being finalized.
- One of the Helldivers on display has an unusual provenance: it was abandoned by the U.S. Navy, dumped in Lake Washington, recovered by two teenage divers and later awarded to its restorers after a court dispute.
- The gathering reflects years of painstaking restoration, coordinated logistics among museums and volunteers, and produced new photos and video that will document the type’s rarity and help support future preservation and public outreach.