Tail End Charlie
EAA Oshkosh 2024
Text: Jakub Nademlejnský
When an American tells you that something is ‘huge’, as European, your curiosity will be aroused. Foe the European used to European standards, there are many things in America that can be considered huge. They have, for example, big cars, big roads, huge houses and skyscrapers in every big city, and even pretty massive portions of food, which after our annual trip to America, we are reminded of when we try to button up our pants. But when our American friend Ed Mautner told us that the Oshkosh Air Show was going to be huge, my colleagues and I knew right away that we definitely had something to look forward to. And it certainly was!
We stayed about a fifteen minute drive from the Wittman Regional Airport, where this Monday-Saturday air show is held, in the picturesque town of Fond du Lac on Lake Winnebago, and attended the show two days, Tuesday and Wednesday. According to official statistics, 686,000 visitors (which is a record number) visited the event over the entire six days, and more than 10,000 aircraft were on display. Organizers reported that during the hours the airport was open for arrivals and departures, there was an average of 113 of them per hour.
But Oshkosh is not just an ordinary air show. In the huge area around the airport, in addition to several dozen stands with various refreshments, there were also open hangars with historic and civilian aircraft, which visitors could view up close, as well as several commercial stands set up by small and large companies alike that promoted their products. Worth mentioning, for example, is the large Boeing stand, the beautiful Beechcraft stand, where visitors were served coffee, or the large Honda tent with a HondaJet in the middle. Among the smaller stands, I was interested in the Dimor Group display, which also includes the Junkers aircraft brand, and in front of the stand stood a Junkers A50.
Wittman Airport is also home to the EAA Aviation Museum, which is filled primarily with experimental aircraft. The abbreviation EAA stands for Experimental Aircraft Association. Thanks to the air show, this association now has about 300,000 members. It was founded in 1953 by Paul Poberezny, who devoted his whole life mainly to the construction of home-made aircraft. In the museum, I admired the Bugatti Model 100 Racer and a lot of other exhibits that you simply cannot see anywhere else.
Of course, I was most interested in the planes that flew into Oshkosh. Next to the airport, several parking zones were created for both visitors’ cars and civil aircraft. This is because visitors from all over the world traditionally fly in to this event and then spend a whole week even with their pets along for the ride, they camp, barbecue, and just basically enjoy the festive atmosphere. I was surprised to walk among the parked planes with no one watching me, no one was reminding me where I could or couldn't go, or gave me the evil eye when I took a picture. In short, it was like paradise for a plane lover. And when the aerial demonstrations started after lunch, my colleagues and I sat on the grass and thoroughly enjoyed them. I was absolutely fascinated by the part of the show called the Heritage Flight, where A-10s, F-35As, F-22s and P-51D Mustangs flew together on the first day and F-16s on the second. The demo always included a short display of each of the planes, and especially the F-22 was really cool! Sadly, we may have just had our last chance to see the A-10, as the USAF is claiming it is done with the type. There is some hope, though, to be found in the fact that this is not the first time this has been stated. Evening flying is also part of the program on Wednesday and Saturday, and anyone who has ever been to Oshkosh will tell you that the evening program is definitely worth attending. And so it was, it was actually a typical American show full of airplanes firing off flares, fires, explosions, ending with 600 drones creating different shapes, finishing off with the American flag at the end. And I have to admit that even though I'm not American, the whole atmosphere around me filled me with a sense of awe.
The Eduard contingent in the United States – Stan Archman, Vladimir Sulc, Jakub Nademlejnsky and Martin Ferkl in at the front gate to EAA Oshkosh.
The entire event was flawlessly organized. Since the venue is so large, school buses were used to shuttle visitors around.
Bell helicopter display at their stand.
Display stands set up by Pilatus and Piper.
Junkers stand with their A50 Junior.
Boeing had the largest display at the show.
Aircraft displayed at Boeing Plaza – F-15EX, F-35A, C-47, Lancaster, T-38 Talon and B-52, which also acted as a nifty umbrella against a passing shower.
The airport’s grass sections also provided space for the museum’s exhibits.
When flying displays were paused, walks could be taken among the parked aircraft.
One of the hangars housed spectacular examples of the Mosquito and P-38.
A view of the EAA Aviation Museum.
Some of the EAA Museum’s exhibits.
Plastic models were available for purchase at the airport, including those from Eduard, which was nice to see.
Flying displays during the show, among others, included a Spitfire Mk.IX , a P-51D and a Hurricane .
The C-47 flight display included parachute jumps.
P-51D in the non-traditional markings of the California Aeronautical University.
One of the two B-29s that flew at the show, the world-famous FIFI.
A flypast was conducted by a KC-135 tanker.
Several display teams strutted their stuff, and while we were there, the Italian team Frecce Tricolori were up….
….as were Canada’s Snowbirds.
Tuesday’s Heritage Flight was made up of the F-35A, F-22, A-10C and P-51D…
….and, for a change, on Wednesday the F-35A , F-22 , A-10C and F-16C.
The Wednesday program finale was conducted by 600 drones….
….and a lot of fireworks.