The Air Force held an open house at the Burlington Airport on this day in 1952. Planes from bases throughout the east flew into Burlington and were on display.

The Canadian and U.S. Air Forces performed maneuvers in the skies overhead, and the event drew a whopping 25,000 people. Lines of parked cars extended as far as the eye could see, and spectators wandered from plane to plane on the airport grounds.

Paratroopers conducted a demonstration inside a hangar. A particular crowd pleaser was the C-124 Globemaster transport plane, because visitors were allowed to actually board the plane.

Image courtesy the book Burlington International Airport: A Pictorial History by the Board of Airport Commissioners.