Oshkosh: The Extravaganza Continues…
John Morris
Warbirds Never Die
Maureen SpuhlerDouglas A-26B Invader, USAAF Serial Number 44-34104 and named “Silver Dragon,” suffered a nose gear collapse on landing at Oshkosh last year. Now it’s back! Intensive work by its crew repaired the damage caused by the after-effects of a relatively small rod in the landing gear shearing and wedging itself in a gear door. There’s still some dental work to do on the paintwork that surrounds the .50 caliber nose guns.
A Toothy Grin
Maureen SpuhlerA pair of fierce-looking T-34s were among many here.
A Two Horse Town
Maureen SpuhlerP-51D Mustangs 44-73029 “Bald Eagle” and the polished, unnamed 44-73420 (NL151AM) take off for one of the warbird displays at Oshkosh.
A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing
Maureen SpuhlerThis North American SNJ-4 Texan N714AW “Bundle Buggy”, built in 1943, is restored as an armed Texan with guns and bombs. Fagen Fighter WWII Museum of Granite Falls, Minnesota, won a 2017 Most Authentic Restoration award at Oshkosh for the aircraft, which represents a small contingent of SNJs used by Marine Air Group 11 for artillery spotting around Espiritu Santo in the Pacific
A Camper With A Difference
Maureen SpuhlerA Grumman C-1 Trader, which spent its life ferrying supplies to aircraft carriers, forms the basis for this prospective camper by Houston-based artist Jason Barnett. He was at AirVenture with several art-from-junk creations.
T-6s Line Up
Maureen SpuhlerAlmost wherever one looked at the Warbirds Park at EAA AirVenture, one could see endless lines of noses and tails. Many of them were T-6 and SNJ Texan trainers.
Honoring U.S. Veterans
Maureen SpuhlerP-51D “Quick Silver” was the dream of father and son team Bill and Scooter Yoak. Built from over 200 Mustang parts and projects it stands now as a tribute to our veterans, says the Quick Silver website. The remanufactured parts are handmade by Bill Yoak with the skill and care of a master craftsman, with the utmost attention to detail necessary to restore this Mustang to a condition better than factory-new in 1945.
A B-25 of “Catch 22” Fame
Maureen SpuhlerGo! An EAA flagman waves off B-25J “Briefing Time,” operated by the Mid Atlantic Air Museum, just as the B-25s on the Doolittle raid on Tokyo were waved off the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.
A Polished Performance
Maureen SpuhlerB-29 Superfortress “Doc” won several awards at EAA AirVenture including Best Bomber.
A Rare Formation
Maureen SpuhlerA sight not seen for at least 40 years, according to the experts: two B-29 Superfortresses in formation. Not just two, but the world’s only two: “Fifi” and “Doc.”
The world’s biggest variety of airshow performers and many rarely-seen warbirds could be seen at EAA AirVenture 2017.
