Journalism has its perks. I’ve floated in a hot air balloon over Albuquerque, NM, and even taken a ride in a 1932 Ford tri-motor, the kind of plane that looks like it could have starred in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” Last week, I added another feather to that cap, a WWII C-47 at Meacham International Airport for the Christmas Light Flight, a decade-long annual tradition over Fort Worth and Arlington.
The plane itself is a sight, a vintage C-49J, a WWII military transport based on the iconic Douglas DC-3, built to carry troops and executives during the Second World War. But the real draw isn’t the interior lights strung up for the holidays; it’s the view from above as the aircraft glides over neighborhoods lit up in festive splendor. From the city centers of Fort Worth to Arlington’s interlocking streets, the lights shimmer like a terrestrial constellation.
Karolina Marek, the plane’s social media manager and crew chief, guided me through the experience with a mix of history and reverence. This plane has been through a lot. Restored by Greatest Generation Aircraft around 2003, the fuselage, radio room, and interiors were returned to their period-accurate glory. A navigation dome on top of the plane served as the original GPS, a celestial guide for pilots using the stars to navigate…