EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013: FedEx Airbus A300 and Grand Caravan

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

FedEx Corporation had a significant presence again at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013.  Shipping services were available during the event, and several aircraft were also available on display.  A Cessna 208B Grand Caravan feeder aircraft was on exhibit near the Rockwell Collins Exhibit Hangar C, and its big brother, an Airbus A300F4-605R arrived early in the week and remained on display for the day before departing following the afternoon airshow.  The Airbus freighter was parked on the Phillips 66 Plaza, dwarfing most of the other aircraft on display there and drawing a large crowd of visitors.  The aircraft's crew treated the crowd to a fly-by on arrival and a swift takeoff as it left to pick up its next revenue cargo load.  Here are some views of the Cessna Grand Caravan and the arrival, display and departure of the FedEx Airbus: 

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2012: Wisconsin ANG F-16 Fighting Falcon

By Fred Harl

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2012 hosted a number of military aircraft at the Phillips 66 Plaza, and one of them was an F-16C Fighting Falcon of the 115th FW of the Wisconsin Air National Guard based in Madison.  The unit was formed as the 176th Fighter Squadron in 1948 at Truax Field, receiving F-51 Mustangs and an invitation to join the Korean War in 1950.  Other aircraft assigned to the unit include F-89 Scorpion, F-86 Sabre, F-102 Delta Dagger, O-2 Skymaster, OA-37 Dragonfly, A-10 Thunderbolt, and F-16s. The unit designation was changed to the 128th TFW in 1981 with the arrival of the A-10s, and later to 115th FW in 1995, three years after converting to the F-16.  Here are some interesting views of the F-16C, s/n 87-0318, on display: