jwc50 wrote:
Is it just me, or does it seem like we normally have more specifics from EAA by this time (almost mid-April) regarding unique warbirds, unique vintage and unique modern aircraft that are expected to make appearances at Oshkosh this July??
Just curious...hope it is not going to be an off year for EAA AirVenture (if there is such a thing).
From a warbird standpoint, that seems to take shape more towards summer when the Warbirds in Review schedule is announced. That's when I recall hearing about more of the unusual attending aircraft the past few years. I think that's usually finalized in early June. The XP-82, the P-51 salute to Bud Anderson, mention of a large Corsair gathering, C-47s for the anniversary of D-Day and the T-28 and T-34 anniversaries are a good starting point to be excited about.
One thing to keep in mind this year is some of the rumored aircraft have not yet flown, examples including the Dakota Territory Air Museum P-51D, F8F and Hurricane, the Collings Foundation and Fagen Hellcats, and even the CWH Firefly. I'm sure we'll get more an idea on some of these aircraft as we move into summer, restorations are hopefully completed and flight testing begins.
"The Year of the Fighter" announcement bodes well for modern military participation. We already know the F-22 and F-16 demo teams will be there for Heritage Flights and the Navy is sending EA-18G, T-45 and T-6 for Legacy Flights. The EAA release on the Year of the Fighter also mentioned A-10, F-15 and F-35, which we'll probably see in the air in some form during the week, even if it's just an arrival pass or two. Again, I'm sure there will be more specifics as we get closer.
The Aerial Firefighting feature also provides some interesting possibilities.
I'm not worried about it at all. There are always a few surprises and there's plenty of time until July.