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EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2005

- a report from Gerhard Schmid, translation by Jurgen Binnemans -

Warbirds - for many Air show visitors these affectionately maintained and historically valuable airplanes from the Second World War are the highlight of any air show. At the beginning of the Jet age the military got rid of the old propeller-driven aircraft in different ways. Sometimes they were simply scrapped, in another place they were sold at bargain prices for a few hundred dollars to interested people.

The increase in value of the Warbirds can be compared with antiques or art. Depending upon the condition of a P-51 Mustang today it already costs 1.5 million dollars. Fortunately there are people, that not only have love for these airplanes but also have a big bank account in order to finance this pleasure. And Oshkosh is the place, where these people and their Warbirds are found...

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B-17 The Boeing B-17 "Aluminum Overcast " of the CAF was heavily damaged in May 2004, as on landing the wheels   broke away. In July 2005 the repairs had already progressed a lot. At the end of 2005 the B-17 is to fly again.
Corsair In the past years some companies have specialized in the restoration of hopeless looking airplanes. Maybe this former Corsair might fly again in a few years.
B-17 This picture shows a renewed part of the outer skin of the B-17 "Aluminum Overcast".
Corsair In war times the naval aircrafts surely where never found in such a condition as this F4U-5 Corsair. But those were different times...
B-17 At the "chin turret" one can recognize the B-17 "sentimental Journey" as a G-model.
Avenger Like most of today's still airworthy World War veterans this Grumman Avenger is in first-class condition. This type was one of the most successful torpedo bombers of its time.
B-17 A view into the vitreous fuselage nose of "sentimental Journey" shows that largest value is placed on originality.
F-6 Likewise used and made for Aircraft carriers this heavy and extremely robust Grumman F6F "Hellcat". In comparison to the light "zeros", who they fought against in the Pacific war began.
B-25 Imaginative nose art paint jobs are and where loved and applied by US armed forces. Here a dragonhead on the nose of a B-25 Mitchell.
Duck It astonishes again and again that the Grumman J2F-4 "duck" really can fly. Particularly the Propeller blades that hardly exceed the enormous fuselage.
B-25 A bat painting on the nose of this North American B-25J "Betty's Dream". The strong armament points out the use as a "Gunship".
NA-50 Replica With the NA-50 North American built in 1940 a low-priced fighter made for export. The similarity also of the NA-68 and later P-64 designated airplane with the AT-6 can be clearly seen. This one here is a replica, built in 1996.
B-25 In outstanding condition Larry Kelley's presented himself on a highly polished B-25 "Panchito". The original machine was named after a Comic character from the Disney musical "The Three Cabarellos" and was used toward the end of the war in the Pacific.
P-38 The Lockheed P-38 made an emergency landing on the Greenland ice in 1942 and spent the next 50 years in the eternal ice before it's spectacular rescue in 1992. In 2002 the first flight took place after the long restoration. Pilot Steve Hinton answers all questions of the interested public.
C-45 UC-45 Expediter brought the military designation for the famous Beech 18 from the year 1936. The UC-45 is very versatile as transport, bomb- and gunner trainer.
P-38 One does not know where to look first. "Glacier Girl" or the Glacier Girls...
Ju 52 The outstanding restored Junkers Ju 52 of the Commemorative air Force (CAF) is the only airworthy Ju 52 on the American continent. As CASA 352L the machine was acquired in 1976 for 16.500 $ from the Spanish Air Force...
P-40 No airplane wears this nose art better than the Curtiss P-40. Thiss legendary paint job became the trademark of the "Flying Tigers ", the American Volunteer Group selected to fly for the Chinese Air Force.
Ju 52 ... and after successful restoration in its historical painting of the 7. Group KGzbV1, it was used in the invasion of Crete.
P-51 Original even under the flap - the instruction for inserting the ammunition belts is still present with this P-51 Mustang.
Spitfire From this perspective Bill Greenwood's Supermarine Spitfire Tr. Mk. I Xc looks completely normal.
P-51 Even in the smallest corners this P-51 Mustang is highly polished. The owner has either to much time or he suffers from sleeplessness...
Spitfire ...only this picture shows that this Spitfire is a two-seater trainer. As is the case for today's trainers, the instructor usually sits in a increased position.
P-51 This beautiful mustang of John Muszala is a rare TP-51C, a trainer with two cockpits. The Restoration began in 2002...
Wildcat In 1940 the F4F or FM-1 Wildcat of Grumman was the standard fighter of the U. S. Navy. Before the war the barrel shaped mid-wing monoplane was already in use with the fleet air arm in Great Brittan.
P-51 ...and with the experienced Warbird pilot OD Shipley at the stick this TP-51C was presented in Oshkosh.
Wildcat In a notch the wings can be placed by hand on the Wildcat - in such a way more airplanes found a parking space on the aircraft carrier deck.
P-51 This mustang should be known to European Warbirdfans. It is the P-51D "Double Trouble Two", that until two years ago belonged to Swiss Max Vogelsang.
Warbirds The Warbird display on the central Aero Shell Square was during the EAA Airventure 2005 one of the most animated places.
P-51 A thunderstorm comes. In the evening the enormous area gets empty, in line up these mustangs wait for their next deployment...
Skyraider Developed during the Second World War , the Douglas A-1 Skyraider came to late for deployment. In later conflicts the Skyraider was very successful .
continue to >>>Part 4
 

 

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