Warbird Information Exchange

Good thing we have the Black Baron of Rhinebeck...

Phil

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A man's got to know his limitations.

What a shame. Part of the reason I went this year was to see Kermit's collection of WWI aircraft. Considering it is the 100th Anniversary of the end the Great War, I would've thought there would have been more emphasis. At the same time, why would you put an emphasis on planes that may not fly. The WWI era planes are extremely delicate and trying to fit them into the OSH flying environment/schedule seems difficult if not impossible. It seems there's always too much wind, or it's too dark, or...etc. There just isn't enough give in the schedule to allow for the flexibility of schedule/flying conditions these planes need.

Too bad about the Dawn Patrol event as well, as it seems that's the proper and perfect venue for these aircraft.

But as said above, I don't blame Kermit one bit.

WW1 airplanes are not delicate, and a number of them flew with no problem at Oshkosh 2016, with one exception of poor pilot judgement, not an airplane problem. EAA did not organize as well this year. They had Kermit bring 4 airplanes knowing that 3 couldn't fly, and they didn't bring back the Golden Age Air Museum from Pennsylvania who in 2016 flew their replica Sopwith Pup and Fokker Triplane (with rotary engine) at Airventure a number of times.


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http://www.biplanerides1.com/

Refresh my recollection: Which WWI planes flew at OSH in 2016?

I was there all week and I distinctly recall flights being scrubbed on various occasions. Not that I doubt you, there was a lot going on (as always), I just don't recall any actually getting airborne.

At Oshkosh 2016, the Golden Age Air Museum's Fokker Dr.1 and Sopwith Pup, the Old Rhinebeck Spad, Brian Coughlin's Fokker D.VIII and the EAA's Standard J-1 all flew at least on one evening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXUdc8J10Po

Right, and the Rhinebeck Spad pranged in Pennsylvania on the way home and hasn't flown since.

It just seems a fraught undertaking to ship or cross-country fly these planes to OSH, and tricky to operate them once there. EAA certainly did better in 2016, but I despair of ever seeing a really good WWI flying display there. It seems like it is better to go where the WWI planes are, and luckily there are a few such places around the country.

I have been a little surprised not to see more of the modern, not-quite-so-accurate WWI replicas at OSH in recent years. Seems to me there is a mini building boom lately in WWI-ish homebuilts with modern materials, engines and airfoils, like the Camel that was on display, or the Dr.I that was parked near the mini B-17 in the homebuilt area. I'm thinking of the products of that Airdrome outfit in Missouri, and maybe there are others. They may not be as eye-popping as Kermit's incredible reproductions, but it would be fun, and convey some sense of the era, to see a bunch of them flying around.

August

Well, shoot. I wonder where I was while that was going on?!? Thanks for the link!

Again the SPAD prang had nothing to do with the airplane, the pilot was scud running at dusk in the mountains of eastern Pennsylvania and ended up having to force land on a golf course, breaking the landing gear and lower wings. That airplane with its Lycoming engine could easily fly to California if flown normally. When they bought it in Florida it was flown to NY, and I flew the section from South Carolina to Virginia. Also, in 2010 three of us flew replica Fokkers, full size and pretty authentic but with more
modern engines and brakes, from Colorado to Oshkosh and back, and another year we flew them from Colorado to Dayton and back. So it's very doable and could have been done better at Airventure this year.


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http://www.biplanerides1.com/

I'd like to hear more about these trips. What kind of range do those planes have? How far between stops (generally, I know it's dependent upon weather). What was your experience of fatigue?

You should get the Dawn Patrol DVD.

I got a few more pics done.













Will

Pics look fantastic! Thanks for sharing those here.

Will, Beautiful shots of the A-1E! Ken

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"Take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

Will