Warbirds Take Center Stage at Oshkosh

John Morris

T-6 Trainers: An Affordable Warbird

Maureen Spuhler

The venerable and ever popular T-6 trainers always turn up in force at Oshkosh, and fly massed formations during the day. Used by many training units in the U.S. military, and by many countries overseas from World War II to the modern day, they have been painted in a kaleidoscope of interesting and lively color schemes.

Mitchells Galore

Maureen Spuhler

Over 10,000 North American B-25 Mitchell bombers were built between 1940 and the end of production in 1945. Georgie’s Gal is a B-25J, with a “bombardier’s nose” allowing for the installation of a bombsight. B-25J “Georgie’s Gal” was manufactured in Kansas City, and accepted into service in June 1945. It is owned by Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio, and was newly refurbished by Aero Trader in Chino, California.

‘Ain’t Misbehavin’

Maureen Spuhler

One of a couple of dozen P-51s at Oshkosh, ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ was delivered in  October, 1944, and served stateside with the U.S. Army Air Force until joining the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1945. Declared surplus 12 years later, the Mustang was auctioned into civilian hands. It is now painted in the colors of the Mustang flown by Capt. Jesse Frey of Indianapolis, Indiana, who flew the real “Ain’t Misbehavin” in World War II in the 362nd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group.

A Gun-Toting B-25

Maureen Spuhler

Lewis Air Legends Collection’s B-25 “Russian Ta Get Ya,” restored by Aero Trader in Chino, California, represents the nearly 900 B-25s that were sent to the Russians in WWII under the Lend/Lease program. This aircraft, a B-25J, was built in 1944.

Ubiquitous Stearmen

Maureen Spuhler

The Boeing Stearman is as popular as the T-6 trainer as an affordable warbird, and  dozens and dozens of them flock to Oshkosh every year. They are fondly regarded as the basic trainer that so many pilots in the U.S. military flew through solo (or washed out) in World War II.

A Stampede of Mustangs

Maureen Spuhler

Is a gathering of Mustangs in flight a stampede? With many owners and restorers painting their aircraft to represent those that served in WWII, there are enough of some renditions to reach squadron strength. The colorful 357th Fighter Group, based at Leiston, England, was the first group of the 8th Air Force to enter combat in that theater with Mustangs on 11 February 1944. 

Lucky to Have Survived

Maureen Spuhler

With 116 combat missions and flown by two Aces, British Spitfire Mk. IX BR601 is arguably one of the most significant surviving Allied fighters in the world, says its owners, the Collings Foundation. It flew again last year after its restoration by the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar.

B-25s Celebrate Doolittle Raid

Maureen Spuhler

The daily air show features the B-25 Mitchell bomber and General Jimmy Doolittle’s audacious raid on Tokyo 75 years ago, when 16 B-25s flew from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet to bomb Japan’s capital city. Around a dozen of the bombers, the largest gathering of B-25s in many years, re-enact the raid complete with pyrotechnic “bombs” set off on the ground.

Trainers, Too

Maureen Spuhler

A North American AT-6D flies through the smoke in the daily air show at EAA AirVenture.

Warbirds of a Different Feather

Maureen Spuhler

A Canadian de Havilland Chipmunk trainer frames a Cessna L-19A Bird Dog spotter plane as used by the Japan Ground Self Defense Force.

Warbirds fire both the imagination and patriotism at EAA AirVenture, bringing back memories for veterans and helping teach the younger generation about sacrifices of the past. And then one can just admire the aircraft, and the love, money and craftsmanship that is constantly poured into keeping these antiques in the air.

John Morris

John has led Aviation Week's ShowNews, the best-read daily news magazine of aerospace trade shows, for nearly two decades. His background in business journalism before joining Aviation Week includes stints at Reuters, the American Banker daily banking newspaper and as business news editor at the Milwaukee Journal and the Cincinnati Enquirer.