Warbirds in Review
enters fourth year
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh’s
increasingly popular Warbirds in Review enters its fourth year in 2006,
providing daily, in-depth presentations featuring some of the world’s
most significant military aircraft and the people who flew them. (Or in
some cases, pilots who continue to fly them.)
Chairperson Connie Bowlin
confirms the following lineup of aviators and aircraft scheduled to
appear during the July 24-30 gathering at Wittman Regional Airport in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Presentations—two per day—take place just south
of the Warbirds Café near the EAA Ford Tri-Motor and the Warbirds area.
(For logistical reasons, some presentations take place on AeroShell
Square as noted below.)
Here’s the roster, with
comments from the Chairperson:
Monday: 10 a.m. - The
week starts off with a 1937 Lockheed 12A. This is the only aircraft ever
featured that is not a "true" Warbird. The history and
ownership of this airplane are so unique that the story is too good to
pass up. This Lockheed 12A was owned by TWA as an executive transport
and research airplane. Ruth Richter Holden, daughter of Paul Richter,
one of TWA’s founders, currently owns it. This will highlight the
contributions that the airlines made to the military in all wars…and
feature a beautiful airplane.
Monday: 1 p.m. - A salute
to our Vietnam veterans featuring two significant aircraft of that era.
The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk (Ed Finnegan) and the L-19 Bird Dog (Randy
Maiville) may not be the most glamorous of aircraft, but they fulfilled
critical missions. Four pilots directly connected to this aircraft plan
to attend, including Bill Schweinfurth, who performed a dead stick
landing with the L-19 in 1969 on a test flight; Ken Snyder, CO and a
185th pilot in 1970; Donn Hartley, 185th and 183rd pilot; and Jay Bauer,
a 183rd pilot.
Tuesday: 10 a.m. - We are
pleased to have the Women’s Air Service Pilots (WASP) join us again
this year. They will tell us about their experiences of training and
flying ALL the World War II military aircraft. This year Dave Holmes and
his T-6, Fly Girl, that is painted in a WASP paint scheme will
join them.
Tuesday: 1 p.m. - Bob
Hoover, arguably the greatest air show pilot ever, will make his
presentation along side a Spitfire that is owned by Rudy Frasca. Bob
flew the Spitfire in WWII, was shot down and became a POW. It’s easy
to pick an airplane to feature with Bob as he has flown just about all
of them.
Wednesday 10 a.m. -
Always a crowd favorite, Col. C.E. "Bud" Anderson, WWII Triple
Ace, and Jack Roush, NASCAR team owner, will be on hand with the P-51 Old
Crow, along with the current owner, Jim Hagedorn.
Wednesday: 1 p.m. - He’s
better known as the Voyager pilot, but Dick Rutan was an Air Force pilot
first, flying the F-100 in Vietnam. Dick will entertain us with his
stories, along with a P-80 on display.
Thursday 10 a.m. Steve
Hinton brings the Chino P-38, which is done up in the 475th Fighter
Group paint scheme. Col P.J. Dahl, president of the 475th Association,
may also be able to join Steve. Don’t miss this one.
Thursday: 1 p.m. - O.D.
Clemmer flew the Douglas B-26 Invader in the Korean War and will tell of
his experiences flying night missions and being attacked by a Yak-9. The
black B-26 Invader, owned by David Huffman, will be part of this
presentation.
Friday: 10 a.m. - David
Lee "Tex" Hill is a Flying Tiger, retired general and one of
the greatest storytellers ever. We are delighted to have Tex joining us
this year. As a testimony to Tex’s popularity, we have three P-40
owners who have offered to display their airplanes with Tex: Ron Fagen’s
newly restored P-40 with the Aleutian Island paint scheme; and Jerry
Yagen’s and Rudy Frasca’s airplanes are both painted in Flying Tiger
schemes. We’ll have one or all of them on display.
Friday: 1 p.m. - The B-25
Panchito will be featured in the Disabled American Veterans
display during EAA AirVenture 2006. Meet members of the DAV and learn
about the outstanding services they provide. They have invited Colonel
C.I. Williams, USAF ret., the commanding officer of a Tuskegee Airmen
B-25 outfit, to join them for this presentation.
Saturday 10 a.m. - Always
a crowd favorite, don’t miss this interesting presentation as Jim Read
describes his beautiful F4U Corsair. He will share the stage with fellow
Corsair pilot Dale Snodgrass.
Saturday: 1 p.m. - Every
year, we wonder how can we top the previous year’s lineup with rare
and interesting aircraft. We are very pleased that that Canadian
Warplane Heritage Museum is bringing their Lancaster bomber to Oshkosh
and have agreed to share it with Warbirds in Review. As a special treat,
they have invited combat veterans to join them. (Due to the size of the
airplane and logistics, this presentation will be held on AeroShell
Square rather than the Warbird area.)
Sunday: 10 a.m. - The
Commemorative Air Force owns and operates the oldest B-24 type aircraft
in existence, Diamond Lil--the 25th of over 18,000 built. Join us
at AeroShell Square for a special presentation on this famed warbird,
with Fred Johnsen, B-24 authority and author of the book B-24
Liberator: Rugged But Right, along with several World War II
veterans who will talk about the LB-30/B-24.
Sunday: 1 p.m. - What
better way to end a great week than to do it with the EAA’s B-17 Aluminum
Overcast? EAA’s Paul and Tom Poberezny will join us along with
along with many of the EAA crewmembers and volunteers who "Keep ‘Em
Flyin."
Many thanks to all the
aircraft owners, veterans, and volunteers who make Warbirds in Review
happen. Schedule is subject to change—look for the definitive schedule
in the daily EAA AirVenture Today newspaper.
