The Flyover: A large formation of World War II-era aircraft, often referred to as “warbirds,” will fly over the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in celebration of the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe, or V-E, Day on May 8, 2015. Coordinated by the Arsenal of Democracy World War II Victory Capitol Flyover, the warbirds, ranging from trainers to bombers to fighters, will retrace the role of American military aviation during the conflict in a series of 15 formations. You can also watch a webcast of the flyover online. The flyover begins at 12:10 pm.

American WWII Aircraft: Many of the aircraft represented in the Flyover can also be found in the Museum’s collection. Explore our full collection of American World War II aircraft online and see the North American P-51 Mustang, Grumman F4F Wildcat, and the Douglas SBD Dauntless in the Museum in Washington, DC.

World War II Online Audio Gallery: The Museum will offer a special online audio gallery with curator talks, historic news reports, and music of the '40s in the week leading up to the flyover. This online gallery will provide historical context as you watch the planes fly overhead. The gallery is optimized for a mobile device and can be accessed at s.si.edu/ww2audio.

Spotter Cards: Air & Space magazine created recognition cards for viewing on a smartphone (at airspacemag.com/spotter) to help you identify the airplanes as they fly overhead.

Join the Conversation: For real-time updates or to share your photos, use #ww2flyover on Twitter.

VE Day Celebration on Saturday, May 9: The next day, a selection of the aircraft participating in the flyover will be on display outside the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, as part of the Museum’s Fly-In to Victory Day.