The Unofficial 2015 Oshkosh thread...

[Warbirdnerd]

Never too early to talk Oshkosh. July 20-26 this year. Doc and Fifi are rumoured to be attending. Add the F-86A recently imported from the UK to the list of attendees...

An F-86A Sabre built in 1948 is the world's oldest flying jet, and recently arrived back in the United States after several decades in Europe, EAA reported this week. The airplane, which EAA hopes will fly next summer at AirVenture, is the only surviving "A" model. Its service history includes Strategic Air Command, Air Defense Command and the California Air National Guard. It flew in defense of the Los Alamos nuclear research facility with the 94th Fighter Squadron of the 1st Fighter Group. The Sabre was later transferred to a technical college in Fresno, California, and then sold to a local scrap dealer, where it was bought by Ben Hall of the Sabre Pilots Association, in 1970. The jet was restored and flew again in 1974.

The airplane was brought to the UK in 1990 and spent 22 years flying on the European airshow circuit, operated by the Golden Apple Trust. Dr. John Swartz, of Afton, Oklahoma, an EAA member, recently acquired the aircraft and had it shipped to Heritage Aero, in Rockford, Illinois. The airplane will be reassembled and is expected to be flying by March, with a goal to be fully FAA certified in time to fly before the crowds at Oshkosh in July. A lengthy history of the jet can be found online here, and a 3-D tour of an F-86A cockpit is posted online here. The video was produced as a farewell to the jet from the folks at Golden Apple Trust.

Found it here:
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/Ol ... 261-1.html

[kalamazookid]

This year will be my first trip to Oshkosh! Really looking forward to it. I will only be spending Monday-Tuesday there as part of a longer road trip, but just getting to spend two days will be awesome. I'm hoping the new P-51 restorations "Sierra Sue II" and "Berlin Express" will be making the trip this year.

[mustangdriver]

We had to correct a line in there. It's not the only surviving A model. It's the oldest flying jet at this point.

[Dan K]

Never too early to talk Oshkosh. July 20-26 this year. Doc and Fifi are rumoured to be attending...

But it's not a rumo(u)r. The B-29/B-24 Squadron website already states that FIFI is scheduling OSH for 2015.

You can also add:

B-25 "Panchito"
Fairey Gannet XT752

I'll leave adding up all the P-51, T-28, T-6, T-34 to others.

[warbird51]

My wife drags me to Oshkosh every year! This will be my fifth, and her 15th. we go for 11 days. I think this year we'll fly in instead of airlining it.

[JimH]

Fun speculation...If Yagen is bringing his Mosquito to Thunder, what are the odds that it will be on its way home from Oshkosh? The warbird judging is going to be really tough this year. Both Berlin Express and Sierra Sue will be contending for the top prize...unless Jerry shows up, and then there is Doc. It's going to be ALL about the details.

Jim

[Todd Hackbarth]

Jim,

In 2015, Thunder over Michigan is not the weekend after "Oshkosh" but rather the last weekend in August, (29th-30th) to accommodate the Blue Angels,
so Yagen's Mosquito most likely won't be flying in to Willow Run directly from Oshkosh if it were to attend "AirVenture".
Todd

[mustangdriver]

Very proud to add my project to the list of cool events taking place at Oshkosh. We are hosting the reunion of Apollo 13. This includes members of the flight crew and mission control.

[JimH]

@Todd...unless it's left at Oshkosh until that weekend

Jim

[Dan K]

Very proud to add my project to the list of cool events taking place at Oshkosh. We are hosting the reunion of Apollo 13. This includes members of the flight crew and mission control.

You WILL be bringing the crew over for brats & brew at WIXfest, right Chris?

And how could I have forgotten Aluminum Overcast?

Looks like the PB4Y-2 is just about ready to get airborne again down at Gosshawk as well...could be the makings of a "Viermot" invasion.

[Todd Hackbarth]

@Todd...unless it's left at Oshkosh until that weekend Jim

Jim,

I thought I covered that with the "most likely won't ..."!!!

Todd

[Mike]

Wasn't there a rather unseemly spat between EAA and Yagen over the Mosquito a couple of years back?

[Yak 11 Fan]

Excellent news, I have enjoyed watching the Sabre over the years in the UK and am pleased I will get to see it again this year.

[Col Brewmeister]

Hmmm, hopefully a whole gaggle of N3N's will show up to celebrate the 80th year of the design.

[DaveG]

Thrilled to be attending my first Oshkosh in 2015.