EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015: Boeing Plaza Becomes Aviation Wonderland

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

The EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015 visitor will quickly gravitate to Boeing Plaza, the central apron in the public access area, to check out the day's display aircraft selection.  It is a dynamic place, where crowds gather and aircraft are rotated in and out throughout the day.  The stars of this year's Boeing Plaza were the venerable Boeing B-52H, in it's sixth decade of service, along with the current generation of USAF Fighters, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.  Other aircraft were added as they arrived, including the new Airbus A350, the unique Beech Starship, the legendary QF-4E Phantom II (probably in its last year on the airshow circuit), the rare flying F-100F Super Sabre, law enforcement helicopters and rare warbirds such as the DeHavilland Mosquito and Avro Lancaster. 

This current series from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015 will include numerous feature stories highlighting the aircraft in Boeing Plaza.  We begin with this sampler that will include the aircraft mentioned above and more, along with some people we met there along the way: Col. Charles McGee of the original Tuskegee Airmen, and Jim "Pee Wee" Martin, a D-Day paratrooper who was on hand to dedicate the restoration of the first Douglas C-47 to release troops over Normandy.               

 

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015: Forums and Workshops

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015 offers opportunities for members and visitors to attend forums and workshops throughout the week.  In the true spirit of EAA's roots in the area of homebuilt aircraft, expert instruction is available for learning skills such as building wood wing ribs, covering aircraft with modern fabric and sealers, and welding in the workshops.  In the nearby forum pavilions, presentations are given on the history of various aircraft types, such as the DC-3, and historic events including the anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission.  There is something for everyone, and many homebuilders spend most of their time gaining and refining the skills they will need for the next portion of their aircraft projects back at their home chapters.  Here is a small sample of the forums and workshops we visited:

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015: Monuments to the Dream of Flight and Flyers

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience continues our coverage of our arrival at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2015 with a look at the unique monuments to flight and flyers found on the main grounds (those found in other areas will be covered separately).  After passing the propellers and T-33 jet at the main gate and going on to the "Brown Arch" and the memorials, one easily concludes that aviation is more than a hobby or vocation.  It is woven into the fabric of those who have dedicated their lives to passing on the gift of flight to the succeeding generations, and there is plenty of room for many more to join the aviation community.

The entrance sculpture, featuring two Pratt & Whitney 1830 Twin Wasp radial engines with propellers, was dedicated in 2009.  The 1951 T-33 Shooting Star jet trainer is located just outside of the fence.

The "Brown Arch" has been a symbol of EAA's promotion of flight since AirVenture arrived at Oshkosh in 1970.  In 2009, it received an update to include memorial bricks.