Creve Coeur Airport Is Home to Warbird Community

By Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience concludes our series from our visit to Creve Coeur Airport on Saturday with this look at some warbird activity.  Working back through aviation history, we start at the St. Louis Gateway Chapter of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation hangar. The recently-formed chapter has quickly gained membership and a hangar at the airport. The chapter has several OH-58 Kiowa airframes, including one nearing powered run-up and owned in part by our friend, Joe Steimann.

  

Our next warbird, a World War II AT-6F Texan, is owned by Greg Vallero.  He offers warbird flights through Warbird Rides USA. On Saturday, he flew several customers who seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Our final warbirds for the day were the classic Boeing Stearman Kadet basic trainer of the late 1930s and early World War II era. Three members of the Stearman Flight were having a formation flight training session over western St. Louis County. Pilots from around the Midwest come to Creve Coeur Airport periodically to hone their formation flying skills. Our thanks go out to Rod Hightower and the other crews for another opportunity to capture these beautiful aircraft.