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Military aircraft take AirVenture stage

Military aircraft—whether privately owned, meticulously restored warbirds, or aircraft from the current military inventory—have been a staple of EAA AirVenture, and the 2018 show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, is no exception.

The warbird community is marking the eightieth anniversary of the North American T–6, an advanced military trainer during World War II; more than 15,000 were built and variants served with the U.S. Army Air Forces, the U.S. Navy, and many allied air forces.

The U.S. Air Force is highlighting refueling tankers, with KC–135 and KC–10 aircraft—among many other active-duty aircraft—displayed in Boeing Plaza. Although they weren’t scheduled to perform, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels surprised airshow attendees with a few passes and a dramatic overhead break, while en route to weekend airshows in Fargo, North Dakota.

And a real head turner is the Bally Bomber, a one-third-scale Boeing B–17 Flying Fortress that weighs about 1,800 pounds, cruises at about 95 knots, can carry 42 gallons of fuel, and has a crew of one. 

Mike Collins
Mike Collins
Technical Editor
Mike Collins, AOPA technical editor and director of business development, died at age 59 on February 25, 2021. He was an integral part of the AOPA Media team for nearly 30 years, and held many key editorial roles at AOPA Pilot, Flight Training, and AOPA Online. He was a gifted writer, editor, photographer, audio storyteller, and videographer, and was an instrument-rated pilot and drone pilot.
Topics: Experimental Aircraft Association, EAA AirVenture, U.S. Travel

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