RC Scale
Stan Alexander
Stan reports on his visit to the annual EAA Fly-In
SCALE MODELERS enjoy full-scale airplanes and try to re-create them in miniature. Full-scale fly-ins and air shows are included in the list of events many of us modelers try to attend because not only are you able to watch warbirds take off and make impressive flybys, but you can also stop and talk to all types of pilots about their aircraft and shoot a few hundred photos.
To me, the Experimental Aircraft Association's (EAA's) AirVenture, or "Oshkosh" as it has been called, is a pilgrimage of events to attend for any Scale modeler or anyone who enjoys aviation. You have to go at least once!
Each year pilots, the military, and more than 12,000 aircraft from around the world arrive at the same place (Wittman Regional Airport at Oshkosh, Wisconsin), at the same time (the last week in July), at an event that seems to change, but not much. Estimates of 650,000-750,000 people attend each year, as do 12,000-14,000 aircraft, and this year was one of the busiest I've witnessed.
Nowhere else, as far as I know, can you see a mixture of civil, military, home-built, kit-built, ultralight, and antique aircraft, as well as some of the most recognizable airplanes in the world.
Monday, the first day, I saw some historic aircraft at AeroShell Square. I also noticed how the EAA has labeled key sites with longtime sponsors.
One of only three flying P-38 Lightnings—"Glacier Girl," which was recovered from a glacier and then restored to flying condition—was on display. It's the oldest flying P-38 in existence. I took pictures of it whenever possible, counter-rotating propellers and all. There were also several Corsairs, three Bearcats, a Grumman TBF Avenger, a Wildcat, a Hellcat, and many other warbirds.
World War II bombers were represented in a big way. I had the opportunity to stand on the outboard edge of the taxiway as a B-17 turned and locked its brakes and ran up those four huge radial engines. I could feel the ground shake under my feet, and the hair on my arms stood up as the captain took the bomber through its safety checks before a takeoff during which everything seemed to look like it was in slow motion.
Other multiengine aircraft included three B-25s, a B-24, and several other B-17s, some of which were stationed at airfields near Oshkosh.
However, the real show-stealers were, again, aircraft from Burt Rutan—a modeler and AMA member who revolutionized civil home-built aviation. He arrived with the White Knight and SpaceShipOne at 3 p.m.—right on schedule, to the delight of those at Wittman Field.
Their arrival preceded the regularly scheduled daily air show at show center.
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
