This 1928 Zenith biplane was a real people pleaser. This 1928 Zenith biplane was a real people pleaser.
(Caroline Sheen)

Postcard from Oshkosh

Air & Space picks the best of this year’s EAA Airventure.

  • By The Editors
  • Photographs by Caroline Sheen
  • airspacemag.com, August 03, 2008

Photo Gallery

At the WARBIRDS area, not one, but two P-51B Mustangs, the only two B models flying, were constantly surrounded by airplane fans. In July <i>Impatient Virgin</i> made its first flights after more than 60 years, and is one of the few Mustangs flying today that flew combat missions in World War II. In June 1945, the aircraft’s pilot, a member of the 361st fighter group stationed in Cambridgeshire, England, bailed out on a training mission after the engine’s coolant system suffered a failure, and the P-51 crashed miles away from its home base, RAF Bottissham. Located in 2002 in a British farmer’s beet field, the Mustang was restored by John Muszala of Pacific Fighters in Idaho Falls, Idaho, for owner John Sessions (after Sessions reimbursed the farmer for the time his field was not planted while the wreck was excavated). Both it and the other P-51B, which is painted in the colors of World War II ace Clarence “Bud” Anderson’s <i>Old Crow</i>, have the “Malcom bubble,” a sliding canopy the British substituted in the field to increase the visibility of the B Model’s original canopy.

Postcard from Oshkosh

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    The best thing about the show this year is that everybody showed up. Despite the price of avgas and expectations for a slow show, the biggest fly-in in the world stayed big. Vendors at the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, report strong traffic and sales, the North 40 camping area for private aircraft has been full of airplanes and tents, and the U-2 spyplane, Commemorative Air Force warbirds, famous P-38 Glacier Girl, and vintage DC-3s parked on Aeroshell Square are surrounded by crowds, on this, the last day of the fly-in. Although the EAA hasn’t compiled all visitor statistics, the association reports that international attendance has outpaced last year’s, with 1,657 airshow fans from 64 countries (compared to 1,333 from 56 countries last year).

    At the show, the Air & Space team followed the crowds to several airplanes that have caused a stir (click on the photo gallery at right to see a selection). We’re sure you’ll hear more about all of them in the future.

    The best thing about the show this year is that everybody showed up. Despite the price of avgas and expectations for a slow show, the biggest fly-in in the world stayed big. Vendors at the Oshkosh, Wisconsin, report strong traffic and sales, the North 40 camping area for private aircraft has been full of airplanes and tents, and the U-2 spyplane, Commemorative Air Force warbirds, famous P-38 Glacier Girl, and vintage DC-3s parked on Aeroshell Square are surrounded by crowds, on this, the last day of the fly-in. Although the EAA hasn’t compiled all visitor statistics, the association reports that international attendance has outpaced last year’s, with 1,657 airshow fans from 64 countries (compared to 1,333 from 56 countries last year).

    At the show, the Air & Space team followed the crowds to several airplanes that have caused a stir (click on the photo gallery at right to see a selection). We’re sure you’ll hear more about all of them in the future.


     
    Comments

    I enjoyed Carolyn Sheen's "Postcards from Oshkosh". The comments she made about the airplanes were accurate and interesting....and the photos were very good, as well. One small comment; in the Postcard about the two P-51B's that were at OSH this year, Carolyn referred to the "Malcolm bubbles". In actual usage during the war, I am told that such canopies were referred to as "Malcolm Hoods". They are, indeed, bubble-shaped....but were not called "Malcolm bubbles".

    Posted by Roger Baker on August 15,2008 | 01:51PM

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