AirVenture 2024 is scheduled to take place July 22-28 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Advance admissions are now available for the weeklong event, along with camping credentials and added amenities such as the Aviators Club.

“The Snowbirds are one of the world’s finest military aerobatic flight teams, so their presence at Oshkosh in 2024 is a wonderful addition to AirVenture week as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “Along with their elegant precision aerobatics that define their aerial performances, we discovered in 2016 that the team members were enthusiastic and fully engaged in the aviation culture at Oshkosh, and truly enjoyed being with the tens of thousands of fellow aviators on the grounds.”

The Snowbirds are currently scheduled to have a public practice session over the grounds on Friday, July 26, with full performances during the daily afternoon air show on Saturday and Sunday, July 27-28. The team is officially designated as 431 Air Demonstration Squadron and was established in 1971. It has a nearly 50-year connection to EAA, being the first military team to perform at Oshkosh when they flew at the EAA fly-in during the 1970s.

“As a team, we are extremely excited to be representing the Canadian Forces at AirVenture during the centennial year of the Royal Canadian Air Force,” said Maj. Brent Handy, Snowbird 1 and Team Lead. “The opportunity to share our display with such a large gathering of aviation enthusiasts and the chance to meet with our fans will be one of the many highlights of this important year for our dedicated team of pilots, technicians, and support personnel.”

The Snowbirds typically fly their Canadair CT-114 Tutor jets in approximately 60 air shows each year. The nine aircraft used in the performances are flown by experienced team members from the Royal Canadian Air Force. During the show, the pilots fly at speeds ranging from 110 to 465 mph (180 to 750 km/h) and in formation with distances as close as four feet of wing overlap. Comprised of exciting loops, rolls, and solo passes as well as graceful nine-jet formations, the Snowbirds’ show includes more than 50 different formations and maneuvers in each 35-minute performance.

More information about Airventure 2024 at eaa.org/airventure

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Doc will host B-29 Doc Flight Experience rides July 22-25 and will be a featured performer at the air show during the week. The historic warbird will also be on static display for ground and cockpit tours on Boeing Plaza on Friday and Saturday, July 26-27.

“Doc has been a regular participant at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh over the past decade and its presence is always well-received from our members and visitors,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “Seeing the B-29 fly and seeing it up close on display is a highlight for many aviation enthusiasts who come to Oshkosh.”

“Joining the EAA AirVenture performer line-up is a top highlight of our tour season each year,” said Donnie Obreiter, B-29 Doc director of maintenance & chief flight engineer. “Bringing Doc to Oshkosh allows thousands of people a unique opportunity to experience history up close and personal. Operating such a historically significant machine to honor the Greatest Generation is core to our mission and it’s something in which our entire team takes great pride in executing.”

Tickets for B-29 Doc Flight Experience rides during EAA AirVenture are on sale now at B29Doc.com/rides. Tickets will also be available at the Bomber Shack in Warbird Alley on the EAA show grounds during the week of the air show.

This year marks the fifth time Doc has participated in EAA AirVenture.

Read more

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“As the number of veterans from WWII who are still with us are dwindling, it is important to commemorate the events of 1944, and the importance of the campaigns in both Europe and the Pacific to preserve freedom,” said Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, who coordinates AirVenture features and attractions. “This year’s programming during AirVenture week will connect the human events and aviation history of that year so those of us today have a better understanding of those times.”

A collection of C-47s from the D-Day Squadron will be on display as part of the commemoration. The Squadron features a fleet of unique C-47 aircraft from throughout the United States. Many of these aircraft will be part of a commemorative mission to Europe in May and June 2024. The C-47 played a vital role in transporting more than 13,000 paratroopers to Utah Beach for the Normandy landings. Afternoon air shows on July 23-24 will feature warbirds from both the Pacific and European theaters, including the World War II Airborne Demonstration Team. The team will be jumping from their own C-47 using traditional round canopy parachutes, reminiscent of the paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions who risked their lives in Normandy.

The Theater in the Woods presentation on the evening of Tuesday, July 23, will focus on 1944 as well. The presentation will be split into two parts: the first will retell the story of 1944, while the second part will go into detail about the aircraft. More details about the presentation, including guests, will be announced as they are finalized.

Additional aircraft that played key roles in 1944 have also been invited to participate, and EAA and EAA Warbirds of America continue to plan activities as part of the commemoration.

More information at EAA website

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The aircraft will be at AirVenture as part of the centennial celebration for the Royal Canadian Air Force to be featured at Oshkosh this summer. They will join the Canadian Forces Snowbirds aerial demonstration team, which in December confirmed its participation at the 71st edition of EAA’s fly-in convention.

Each of the aircraft has a unique story:

• Spitfire Mk IX – Often considered the most beautiful aircraft design of its day, the “Spit” became legendary with its performance during the Battle of Britain in 1940. The Vintage Wings of Canada example is painted in the markings of Arnold Rosemond, a Canadian who flew more than 65 missions before being shot down over Normandy in 1944. It received the World War II Reserve Grand Champion and Phoenix Gold Wrench awards at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2018.
• Hurricane Mk VII – This versatile aircraft was an extraordinarily capable dogfighting airplane that was also developed into numerous variations from fighter-bombers to carrier-based Sea Hurricanes. This aircraft was built by Canadian Car and Foundry in Fort William, Ontario. It carries the markings of Flight Officer William Lidstone “Willie” McKnight, who was part of the Royal Air Force’s all-Canadian No. 242 Squadron and Canada’s most outstanding fighter pilot during the first 18 months of WWII.
• P-51D Mustang – One of the best-known and capable fighter aircraft of WWII, more than 16,000 Mustangs were produced beginning in 1940 in response to a British plea for more fighter aircraft from the U.S. This aircraft is painted in the markings of 442 Squadron as they appeared toward the end of the war. It is dedicated to brothers Larry and Rocky Robillard from Ottawa, Ontario, who both flew with that squadron during the war.

Vintage Wings of Canada is the creation of Michael Potter, who founded the Vintage Wings of Canada Foundation and has been collecting and flying vintage aircraft since the mid-1990s. The aircraft of his collection are maintained in flying condition and flown annually throughout the summer to support air shows, commemorative military flypasts, and other special events. Several aircraft of the collection are owned directly by the charitable foundation as well as by other individual operators.

Potter has put together a collection of some of the finest examples of Canada’s, and indeed the world’s, most historically significant aircraft. The collection is housed in a 24,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art hangar at the Gatineau-Ottawa Executive Airport near Ottawa, Canada.

Current plans call for the aircraft to arrive at the start of AirVenture week and to initially spend several days in the warbirds area. The aircraft will also fly on selected days in the afternoon air show prior to spending the final weekend on Boeing Plaza.

More information about Vintage Wings of Canada here

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SUN ‘n FUN 2024 is right around the corner, and we are busy preparing for the return of some of our favorite aviators – WARBIRDS!!

The mission of our Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) is to “Engage, Educate, and Accelerate the next generation of Aerospace Professionals”, and we can’t think of a better way to usher them in than by introducing them to the fantastic history of the servicemen and women who have preserved our freedom with the aircraft you bring to our show. Thanks to your help, we’ve now pinned Private Pilot’s wings on 142 students under our scholarship program!

If you have not had the chance to meet some of these remarkable young people, I encourage you to ask! They are right here alongside you during the Fly-In, volunteering as ambassadors and showcasing the positive impact that your contributions are having. I also highly recommend a tour of the Lakeland Aero Club while you are here. The members of the largest high school flying club in the world have several vintage aircraft restoration projects underway, and you might even get a turn in their $125,000 full-motion Redbird Simulator that they built themselves!

To showcase the dramatic success we are seeing, I hope you’ll make it over to the south side of the campus to tale a tour of the brand new Ramus SkyLab Innovations Center, a 22,000 square foot expansion of the Florida Air Museum and is home to a convertible environment that will house exhibits, workshops, even Science on Sphere.

Your ongoing support has been critical in this new era, and on behalf of everyone here at SUN ‘n FUN / ACE I’d like to extend our warmest thanks and an enthusiastic invitation to join us again in 2024 SUN ‘n FUN is proud to be your partner, and we remain committed to building the Warbirds community and sharing your efforts to Keep ‘em Flying!

Warbird pilots will be in close proximity to The Island!  The Island!  Make sure to drop by and enjoy the refreshments, entertainment, and presentations throughout the day and into the evening.  This area will also provide support services like the Pilot Welcome Center, camp store, ticket sales, shower houses, Rideshare and Publix Instacart grocery delivery. Refreshments will be available starting Saturday, April 6,

SUN ’n FUN is pleased to invite WARBIRD owners to participate in an enjoyable experience at SUN ’n FUN. On a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the volume of aircraft types and rarity, warbird attendees may be eligible for some or all of the following benefits. Please register below!

https://flysnf.org/activities/aircraft/warbirds/

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Conducted by the Long Island Air Force Association

On Thursday, December 7, 2023, American Airpower Museum hosts the annual “Dropping of the Roses” Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony conducted by the Long Island Air Force Association (LIAFA).  The American Airpower Museum (AAM) has provided space for this event each year ever since the Museum opened its doors in 2000.  December 7, 2023 is the 82nd Anniversary of the Japanese attack on the U.S. Navy Fleet based at Pearl Harbor. 

Welcome remarks by Col. (ret.) Bill Stratemeier, LIAFA (bstrat@optonline.net, 631-807-4624).  A solemn ceremony remembering all who served at Pearl Harbor follows, including a special tribute to World War II veterans who will receive certificates from Long Island elected officials.  In keeping with the “Dropping of the Roses” tradition began by Joseph Hydrusko in 1970, the blessing of 82 American Beauty Roses (including one extra white rose for 9-11) will commemorate the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.  Includes Color Guards from the Navy Reserves and veterans organizations.  A Chaplain will conduct a Blessing of the Roses, Taps will be played and Roses presented to our pilot, who then departs AAM’s ramp in a vintage military aircraft to drop the Roses over New York’s Statue of Liberty.  The public is welcome to attend our “Dropping of the Roses” Ceremony on December 7, 2023.  Free admission between 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.  After 12:00 p.m. $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and veterans, $10 for kids 5 to 12.  No tickets or pre-registration necessary. 

What?     Dropping of the Roses at American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport 

Where?   Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY

When?    December 7, 2023 – 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

For more information about this event visit: American Air Power Museum website

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EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (November 13, 2023) — Five individuals who contributed greatly to recreational aviation were honored on November 9 as they were inducted into the EAA Sport Aviation Halls of Fame during a ceremony and dinner at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh.

The 2023 inductees include:
               • EAA Homebuilders Hall of Fame: Neal Loving (posthumous)
               • International Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame: Lew Shattuck of Yelm, Washington
               • Warbirds of America Hall of Fame: Chuck Greenhill (posthumous)
               • Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame: John Parish Sr. of Tullahoma, Tennessee
               • EAA Ultralights Hall of Fame: Paul Mather of Saint Elmo, Alabama

The EAA Sport Aviation Halls of Fame were established to honor the outstanding achievements of men and women in aviation who share the spirit of EAA and its community. Those inducted into the halls of fame are selected by their peers for myriad contributions made to their respective areas of aviation.
In addition, Jim Casper of Oshkosh received the Henry Kimberly Leadership Award that recognizes Oshkosh-area residents for volunteer service to EAA. Casper is a longtime volunteer EAA Aviation Museum docent and volunteer.
About EAA
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 270,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org. For continual news updates, connect with www.twitter.com/EAA.

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Farmingdale, NY, November 6, 2023 – The American Airpower Museum (AAM) has joined forces with Honor Flight Long Island (HFLI) and Mission Margraten Plus (MMP) to host a special Veterans Day program honoring Long Island veterans, on Saturday, November 11, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Museum, Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, New York.  Long Islanders to be honored include five World War II veterans, two Korean War and three Vietnam War veterans. 

“Whether they served in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Merchant Marines or Coast Guard, all veterans who defended freedom and U.S. interests during WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, plus later conflicts Iraq and Afghanistan, deserve to be honored,” said Jeff Clyman, AAM President.  “Aware of the risks, our veterans fought in America’s battles against Fascism, Communism and in defense of liberty worldwide.  We’re proud to honor them this Veterans Day.”  (Veteran participation made possible with assistance and coordination from HFLI and MMP.) 

Join us November 11th, at 11:00 a.m., for welcome remarks by AAM and HFLI.  A Cub Scout Honor Guard will lead the Pledge of Allegiance.  Next, AAM’s WWII Douglas C-47 Skytrain “Second Chance” will perform two tribute flights, weather permitting.  Each flight will have on board preselected WWII, Korean and Vietnam War veterans, plus two local High School students whose essays about veterans were chosen as winners in a contest.  The first flight is at 12:00 p.m. and the second at 1:30 p.m.  At exactly 2:11 p.m., two minutes of silence will be observed, as prescribed by the Veterans Day Moment of Silence Act of 2016.

Two of the WWII veterans are 102 years old, Bill Nacinovich and Dominick Critelli.  Critelli of Floral Park played his Sax at the UBS Arena on September 17th with André Rieu, and will perform America The Beautiful and the National Anthem at AAM on November 11th, see video links below.  Admission for Adults is $15, Seniors $12, Children 5 to 12 $10, kids under 5 for free.   Free admission for veterans and active military.

American Airpower Museum is an aviation museum located on the landmarked former site of Republic Aviation at Republic Airport, Farmingdale, NY.  The Museum maintains a collection of aviation artifacts and an array of operational aircraft spanning the many years of the aircraft factory’s history.  The Museum is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Educational Foundation Chartered by the New York State Board of Regents.

The American Airpower Museum at Republic Airport – “Where History Flies!”

Hangar 3, 1230 New Highway, Farmingdale, NY 11735 – (631) 293-6398

info@americanairpowermuseum.org – www.americanairpowermuseum.org

@american_airpower_museum     

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Dallas, Texas – October 26, 2023– The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) is thrilled to announce the latest addition to its historic aircraft collection, the Temco TT-1 Pinto registered N4486L. This is a notable acquisition for the Commemorative Air Force as the aircraft is not only post-World War II-era but also a jet.

This unique acquisition reflects the organization’s unwavering commitment to preserving aviation history and ensuring that future generations can experience the thrill of flight aboard these living legends.

The TT-1 Pinto is an experimental jet trainer aircraft produced during the 1950s. On October 18, 1955, the U.S. Navy released a Request for Proposals calling for a new primary jet trainer to replace the Beechcraft T-34. The Pinto was designed to provide a transition platform for naval aviators moving from propeller-driven aircraft to jet-powered ones. The Pinto played a vital role in training the men and women who would become the backbone of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps aviation. However, by the spring of 1960, the Navy elected to end its Jet training program.

The aircraft has been assigned to a newly established Super Pinto Sponsor Group. Rick Bell, one of the aircraft sponsors, said, “We are thrilled to operate this exceptional aircraft; it will enhance our ability to tell the story of military aviation history beyond World War II. The Pinto is also a great addition to our educational and historical outreach efforts.”

The Pinto Sponsor Group will soon unveil the TT-1 Pinto, which will be based at the CAF hangar in Memphis, and will divide it time between Memphis, Pensacola, and Dallas. The group also hopes to be able to start offering living history flights in the Pinto next year.

For more information about the Commemorative Air Force, its collection of vintage military aircraft, and upcoming events, please visit https://commemorativeairforce.org/aircraft.

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