Warbird Information Exchange

Ed, you're just going to have to figure out how to post that video at Youtube. Mine's migrated somewhere, and the youngsters will never believe us.

I do remember in '95 that my camcorder battery died just as the mass formation was approaching the field. So instead I got a chance to enjoy the view without squinting through a viewfinder. It was a bittersweet moment: Total WOW, but a bit depressing just knowing deep down that no one would ever witness something like that again.

But it's also cause for a chuckle when some event organizers today ballyhoo, "56 warbirds...probably the largest warbird formation since WWII!"

No, it's unlikely we'll see 170 in one formation again. But OSH is still unique. No ropes separate the owners & operators & aircraft from the unwashed. It's still the grandest, all-inclusive, 100LL-&-Jet A-scented, carb-loaded, week-long aviation party around.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Well...go back to the 90's and earlier, and the biggest warbird shows were always on the weekend.

With the 50th Anniversary memorials of WWII, four successive years built up to an Oshkosh warbird crescendo...


1992: Gathering of B-25's (Doolittle Tribute) Two Constellations were a highlight as well.

1993: Five P-47's (Tribute to "Zemke's Wolfpack") Also quite a few Navy birds...same year the Gulfhawk Bearcat lost power on take-off

1994: 12 (Yes Virginia, a dozen) Corsairs. Somewhere I've got some old VHS...

1995: 170+ warbird formation on Saturday. (Didn't attend Sunday, but heard formation was about 150) This included many heavies, four Spitfires, Hawker Hurricane, and, and...


And then...

The really big warbird shows died. For many years the event ran from a Wednesday through a Tuesday, so you can imagine how dead those last two days after the weekend were. I'm pretty sure that's why the current schedule (Monday through Sunday) was adopted.[/quote]

'93 was my first Oshkosh - '95 was by far the best in my opinion. I think that was back when you could still be out amongst the Warbirds as they started up and taxied out, an awesome sight.

I am going to be honest and say that Friday and Saturday are looking to be two fantastic days to be there! The F-100 and a QF-4 are both flying in the Friday show, and then again in the Saturday night show. We are also working with the warbirds community to get areas they can practice during the week so they aren't leaving earlier. If they arrived later the week of, they would be able to stay through the weekend. Can't force someone to stay, but hopefully we can work together to keep them around for the weekend. It's really a shame because the air show on Sunday is a fantastic lineup.

Really? Who is doing this and how is it being communicated to the warbird owners? I haven't heard anything. All of the type groups are still meeting the weekend before Airventure....

I still maintain that unless there is a MAJOR shift in the attendance habits of the warbird owners...get there before the weekend if you want to see warbirds. Not to say that there aren't great airshows on Saturday and Sunday...but traditional the warbird participation is low....

I think it was last year that the OV-1 was the anchor of the Saturday warbird show...

We usually leave Sunday morning...and I recall last year there was one, maybe two fighters parked in the fighter section we left....

The entire field is usually 2/3 empty by the weekend, not just the warbirds.

EAA's multimedia page is showing vital signs again...video shouldn't be long now.

http://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-ai ... re-webcams

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

I am looking forward to my first Airventure this year! Sunday through Friday!

I've been wanting to / planning to go off and on as long as I can remember.

Looks like we'll (Yes, the wife is going and agreed to spend a week in the Tent! ) be camping in Vintage...and hanging with Matt and the Warbird Radio crowd during the days.

Come by the Warbird Radio Trailer and say Howdy!

Woot!

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Zane Adams
There I was at 20,000 ft, upside down and out of ammunition.
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Hi John,

Just a point of clarity, the Stearman belongs to Paul Ehlen, not the TFL guys. When finished its home will be along side Sierra Sue II and previous award winning T-6 at the new budding Wings of the North Air Museum at Flying Cloud Field, Eden Prairie, MN.

John

Oh, sweet! Thanks John, I had thought I had heard that TFL owned it, but I guess I was just assuming they did (given the connection they have had with George Bush Sr.). Really cool to have the hometown connection to WWII, and be based/flown around the same area once again. I have begun following Wings of the North of Facebook some months back - it is quite a treat to have warbirds such as Paul Ehlen's on public display when they are in town.

Paul keeps his airplanes at FCM so it could be said they are always in town with the exception of them visiting airshows, at Aircorps for MX or the occasion when he decides to fly one out to his place in Montana.

The new Museum should be a lot of fun. We're hoping to put it together this fall/winter and hit it a lot harder next summer. If you live close and have an interest, we're looking for volunteers to help put it all together and pull it off. Come on out this weekend for Air Expo and introduce yourself.

John

Just some housekeeping - the online pre-registration for OSH was unserviceable up until June 18th. It may have looked like you were getting in but the full info was not transmitted to Kristen at WBA HQ.

If you pre-registered online before June 18 and have the time, please resend your info. If not, you may be standing in line with the clip boards and paper copies. Oh yeah - and calling your insurance company to fax us the policy info so you can fly in the show.

See you all soon;

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Chris

Awesome stuff, Zane! I can't wait to hear the shows! That - combined with photos shared here - will be a great substitute for those of us unable to go. Have an awesome time!

My fiancee barely copes with one day at an airshow...your wife is a saint!

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Zac in NZ
#avgeek, modelbuilder, photographer, writer. Callsign: "HANDBAG".
https://linktr.ee/zacyates

"It's his plane, he spent the money to restore it, he can do with it what he wants. I will never understand what's hard to comprehend about this." - kalamazookid, 20/08/2013
"The more time you spend around warbirds the sooner you learn nothing, is simple." - JohnB, 24/02/22

Webcams running.


http://spirit.eaa.org/webcams/popup_north.html

http://spirit.eaa.org/webcams/popup_central.html

http://spirit.eaa.org/webcams/popup_south.html


For those unfamilar with Wittman, the first camera covers much of 9/27 as it swings left, north end of 18/36 as it swings right, and about 2/3 of the warbird ramp across the swing. 5/23 is used for ramp and taxi way during convention.

2nd camera covers west ramp display area. Special display warbirds will get rotated in and out of this area. Covers the "Red Barn" (vintage headquarters) and portion of vintage parking as it swings left.

3rd camera covers ultralight area and south end of 18/36 as it swings.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

Hoping the CWH Lancaster keeps her new artwork for at least a couple more weeks:

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/57171 ... o-the-sky/

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

One week 'til the big dance.

Any requests for pics? I'm planning to be at Wittman Monday, Tuesday, Thursday...not planning to hit the seaplane base.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.