EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016: Boeing Centennial Plaza - U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Centennial

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

U.S. Coast Guard Aviation celebrated it's 100th birthday in events across the nation this year, including EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016.  The Coast Guard Aviation Centennial celebration was in full view throughout the week as the brightly colored aircraft assembled in Boeing Centennial Plaza.  The photos below follow the daily activities roughly in order from arrival to departure, including the midweek rain shower.  Aircraft featured include the EADS HC-144A Ocean Sentry from CGAS Mobile, AL; MH-65D Dolphin from CGAS Traverse City, MI; Sikorsky MH-60T Jayhawk from CGAS Cape Cod, MA; a privately-owned, former U.S. Coast Guard Grumman HU-16 Albatross; and a Lockheed Martin HC-130J Super Hercules from CGAS Elizabeth City, NC.     

Sightings: U.S. Coast Guard HU-25D Guardian Stopover in St. Louis

By Mark Nankivil

One of those "right place, right time" moments occurred today while visiting St. Louis Downtown Airport when U.S. Coast Guard Dassault-Brequet HU-25D Guardian s/n 2114 from U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi arrived to refuel. The aircraft type has been operational for about thirty years, and is rapidly being replaced in the search-and-rescue/coastal patrol mission by the EADS HC-144 Ocean Sentry.  Special thanks to the airport management, Jet Aviation and the aircraft crew for allowing access to the aircraft for our coverage.