EAA AirVenture 2013 being held July 29 through August 4 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin has just announced the roster for their extremely popular Warbirds in Review program. This is the 12th year that the program has been running and will feature two daily presentations about military aircraft and the people who flew them.
Presentations take place at 10AM and 1PM, Monday, July 29, through Sunday, August 4, at the special aircraft display area on Warbird Alley. New for 2013, right before the presentations at 9:30AM and 12:30PM each day, the Warbirds Living History Group will entertain the crowd, showcasing their authentic uniforms and flight gear. They will be followed by 1940s-style singer Theresa Eaman, who will sing songs befitting the era, beginning at 9:45AM and 12:45PM. Warbirds in Review presentations will be immediately followed by book signing opportunities in the Warbirds Merchandise Building.
2013 Warbirds in Review Lineup:
Monday, July 29, 10AM – C-53 and D-Day Invasion with the Warbirds Living History Group: This year the Warbirds Living History Group joins the Texas Flying Legends Museum for a D-Day re-enactment. Members will paint invasion stripes and nose art on the TFLM’s Douglas C-53 Skytrooper, re-enacting D-Day invasion preparations of June 1944. Nose art from the C-53 “Duchess of Dakota” will be painted on while the re-enactors paint the stripes. During World War II, Murray Lawler named his aircraft in honor of his wife Margaret. We will welcome Margaret Lawler to Oshkosh with “her” aircraft.
Monday, July 29, 1 p.m. – “Best of the Best” Warbird Past Champions: The afternoon presentation will feature past award-winning aircraft including the Fagen Fighter Museum‘s Curtiss P40-E Warhawk “Desert Shark,” winner of the 2011 Warbirds Gold Lindy, and Chuck Wahl’s unique SNJ Texan with a tail hook. Warbirds chief judge Eric Paul will use the planes as he provides insight into the judging process for those vying for arguably one of the most prestigious awards in aviation: Warbird Grand Champion.
Tuesday, July 30, 10AM – The Corsair, TBM, and L-5: Aircraft of the U.S. Navy: Naval aviation will be well represented this year starting with the Vought F4U Corsair, Grumman TBM Avenger, and a Stinson L-5 Sentinel, featuring three distinguished Marine pilot veterans:
Merton Hansen: Trained with the artillery units of the 5th Marine Division, Hansen flew at Iwo Jima and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Clarence “Clancy” Hess: As a Marine pilot, Hess flew in the Pacific in WWII and Korea.
Joe McPhail: Credited with 240 combat missions and two air-to-air victories. He flew the F4F-4 Wildcat with Marine Fighter Squadron VMF 441 in the Central Pacific Theater, later instructing in the F4U Corsair then to VMF-323, the “Death Rattlers.” At the outbreak of the Korean Conflict, McPhail was assigned to VMFA-214 “Blacksheep” Squadron.
Tuesday, July 30, 1PM – WASP Stearman: Women Air Service Pilot (WASP) Bee Haydu will be joined by Maj. Caroline Jensen, current U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds pilot No. 3 (Right Wing) and a Stearman trainer owned by Andy and Mike Porter that served with the WASP at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, during WWII.
Wednesday, July 31, 10AM – Texas Flying Legends Museum’s P-40, B-25, and A6M2-Model 21 Zero: Veterans David Born and Vic Tatelman will be joined by Ron Werneth, author of the book “Beyond Pearl Harbor.” Born flew the T-6 Texan, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-40 Warhawk, and P-51 Mustang with the 479th Fighter Group in Europe. Also a photographer, Born is credited with more than 83 pictures published in the book The 479th Fighter Group in WWII. Tatelman flew B-25s with the 345th Bomber Group in the Southwest Pacific and later flew the F-86 Sabre after being recalled to active duty for the Korean War.
Wednesday, July 31, 1PM – P-51s Old Crow & Swamp Fox with Col. Bud Anderson, Jack Roush, and Will Foard: We welcome back Col. Bud Anderson and Jack Roush, crowd favorites with the “B” model Mustang “Old Crow.” They will be joined this year by another member of the 357th Fighter Group – Will Foard and P-51 “Swamp Fox” owned by Robert Dickson. The Dickson family met Foard a few years ago, and when they acquired this P-51 they chose to honor him by giving it his Swamp Fox paint scheme.
Thursday, August 1, 10AM – PV-2 Harpoon: This presentation features the Lockheed Ventura PV-2 Harpoon that was intended to fly against Japan for the final attack and invasion on the Japanese homeland. The atomic bombs brought the war ,and the need for more aircraft, to a swift end. After its brief military service, the Harpoon was used as an aerial tanker fighting forest fires. The staff at Vintage Aircraft of Stockton, California, rallied to save the Harpoon from the scrap heap.
Thursday, August 1, 1PM – F-86 with Bob Hoover: We are pleased to once again welcome Oshkosh-favorite Bob Hoover, who has flown so many airplanes in service to the U.S. military and civil aviation that he could speak about almost anything. He will appear with the North American F-86 owned by Paul Wood of the Warbird Heritage Foundation.
Friday, August 2, 10AM – 75th Anniversary of the T-6: The North American AT-6 Texan was used to train several hundred thousand pilots in 34 different countries for 25 years. In honor of its 75th anniversary, featured will be an original T-6 as well as Beechcraft’s current T-6 Texan II, a single-engine turboprop aircraft introduced in 2000-2001. The original T-6 is still serving in the role of “pilot maker” as the preferred trainer for a Warbird pilot preparing to fly a high-performance World War II fighter. Speakers TBA.
Friday, August 2, 1PM – Restoring the Wildcat: The dramatic contrast between scrap heap and flying status will be ably demonstrated on Friday afternoon with the appearance of a Grumman FM Wildcat, restored by Conrad Huffstutler of Wild Warbirds, and the U.S. Navy Wildcat wreck recovered in December 2012 from Lake Michigan by A&T Recovery of Chicago. A full restoration takes many years of dedication to complete, so we’ll congratulate and welcome Conrad. We also thank the Navy History and Heritage Command and its supporters who are making it possible for the Lake Michigan Wildcat to be displayed at Oshkosh on a trailer prior to being transported to Pensacola for restoration.
Following Friday activities in Oshkosh, which will include a special, first-ever Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight for Vietnam veterans, Saturday will be a special day on Warbird Alley saluting to our Vietnam veterans. The ramp will be filled with airplanes from the Vietnam era.
Saturday, August 3, 10AM – C-7 Caribou with Ron Alexander and Gen. John Borling: The morning session features Ron Alexander, a C-7 Caribou pilot who received the Distinguished Flying Cross and two air medals. Cavanaugh Flight Museum will generously provide its Caribou. We are honored that Gen. John Borling will join us to close out the morning program. Gen Borling spent 6-1/2 years in captivity after being shot down over Vietnam.
Saturday, August 3, 1PM. – Huey Helicopter with Medal of Honor recipient Gen. Patrick Brady: What better way to close out the Vietnam tribute than with Medal of Honor recipient Gen. Patrick Brady? While in Vietnam, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for a series of rescues during which he used three Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters (more commonly known as “Hueys”) to rescue more than 60 wounded soldiers. At the end of the day his aircraft had more than 400 holes in them from enemy fire and mines. The Army Aviation Heritage Foundation will bring its Huey in support of Gen. Brady.
Sunday, August 4, 10AM – Yak-52 and CJ-6A: EAA Warbirds of America members come together during AirVenture to enjoy the Oshkosh experience. They come to visit with friends, display their aircraft, recognize the veterans, and educate both young and old. Whether a T-34, T-6, liaison, fighter, jet, or other aircraft, the type groups come to share their passion and knowledge. Sunday morning the Yak-52 and CJ-6A owners of the Red Star Pilots Association will share some of their experiences with communist block aircraft with visitors when they display their aircraft in the final day’s only session.
The usual disclaimers apply, schedule is subject to change, etc. For the latest listings and/or more information check out the EAA AirVenture Warbirds In Review Page.
Oshkosh is here again. Always a great place to bring to life our passion and a great opportunity to meet other warbird enthusiasts.