Somehow, the volunteers of the Experimental Aircraft Association did it again. For a fifth year in a row, a record number of people crammed into Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for a whole week of everything aviation. Over 734,000 people visited EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 to enjoy a little bit of everything from ultralights and Warbirds to aerobatic stunts and massive explosions. For me, it was the trip of a lifetime as I got to scratch off a childhood dream and get deeper into aviation than I’ve ever been. As everyone flies and drives home, I want to reflect on how awesome a plane bash the last week has been.
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh tends to center itself on a major theme with smaller sub-themes. Last year, the main theme was ‘Endless Possibilities,’ with sub-themes being the good Samaritans who use aviation to save lives, celebrating the women in aviation, and, well, the endless possibilities offered by taking flight.
This year, AirVenture joined the rest of the country in amping up the patriotism. But instead of just going with an America 250 theme, AirVenture had a fun twist. This year, AirVenture was themed around ‘Celebrating The Freedom Of Flight.’
This theme focused on how aviation has helped reshape America since the Wright Brothers’ flights in 1903. As such, the show featured everything from some of the earliest powered aircraft to the latest electric flying contraptions and all points in between. AirVenture featured creations by individual inventors, big companies like Airbus, Boeing, and Douglas, and, of course, the U.S. military.
What I really adored about this theme was a great emphasis on early aircraft. I usually fangirl over large airliners, transports, and unique general aviation aircraft, but haven’t really explored early aviation as much as I have wanted to. This year, I’d be spoiled by how many century-old aircraft were out there.
I’d also get in some unique aircraft experiences, as I was honored to be a guest of the DC-3 Society on a Friday morning formation flight of a trio of DC-3s and C-47s. I have always wanted to ride in a DC-3, and it was everything that kid-me imagined it would be, and more!
I also scored a second flight aboard the iconic Goodyear Blimp, and somehow, this ride was even cooler than last year’s flight.
I Walked 42 Miles Around A Living Museum
That’s the amazing thing about AirVenture. It isn’t like a museum, where the vehicles you look at might have last run before you were even born. The vast majority of the over 10,000 planes (showplanes included 1,346 vintage aircraft, 875 homebuilt aircraft, 360 warbirds, 118 ultralights and light planes, 88 seaplanes and amphibians, 40 aerobatic aircraft, 18 rotorcraft, and 6 hot-air balloons) that come to AirVenture actually flew there.
These planes come from all over the world, and when the show wraps up, they’ll fly back home, too. Even the Red Arrows skipped across the Atlantic Ocean some 700 miles at a time. It’s a sort of living history that you just won’t find in any typical museum.
This year, I really wanted to capture the scale of AirVenture. I’ve been going to AirVenture every single year since 2022, and usually, I just state how long the runways are at Wittman Regional Airport. At 8,002 feet, runway 18R/36L is well over a mile long. Runway 9/27 is pretty large, too, given its 6,179-foot length. These runways are long enough to have supported some of the world’s most iconic aircraft, from the Concorde and the Lockheed U-2 to the Airbus A380 and the Aero Spacelines Super Guppy Turbine.
But, honestly, the raw numbers tell only part of the story. While much of AirVenture does run along the airport’s runways, the aircraft areas run deep into airport grounds. There’s just row after row of airplanes, and even in places where there aren’t planes, there are still vendors, booths, a theater in the woods, a colossal campground, workshops, seminars, and more.
This year, I was curious about how far I was walking because AirVenture was going to be the biggest test for my left knee since I busted it in May. My doctor said that my healing was better than average, and that his recommendation was just to get out there and use it. So, I wanted to see just how much that knee was working. On average, Sheryl and I usually covered 7.5 to 8 miles a day, with a peak of over 10 miles on Friday. Some people in an AirVenture Facebook group I’m in claimed to have walked twice as many miles as we did.
I attribute my lower daily mileage counts to breaking AirVenture up into sections. Every day, we’d cover only a portion of the event, maybe only one or two main sections.
In total, we covered about 42 miles of walking through the week. My knee felt solid the whole time, and it works even better out of the other end. I feel like it’s 99 percent back to normal, and it’ll probably be totally back before the summer ends. But to bring us back to my original point, AirVenture is so huge that you can easily walk tens of miles in a single day.
As we walked through the aircraft areas, I took note that this year was very different from even the previous events I’ve been to. The crowds grew large and stayed that way. There were so many people that it was legitimately difficult to get pictures of some aircraft without multiple people blocking them. AirVenture usually has “slow” days, Tuesday, which immediately follows the opening day rush, and Thursday, when people tend to leave following the Wednesday fireworks show. This time, the crowds remained enormous. If I had to wager a guess, people stuck around because the Red Arrows weren’t scheduled to perform until Friday.
Some People Didn’t Remember Rule 1
The increased attendee count seemed to have come with some drawbacks. Earlier, I noted how smoke from the Canadian wildfires meant that a few days’ worth of arrivals all tried to land in Oshkosh in the span of a handful of hours. Pilots were cursing each other out, ignoring ATC, not following procedures, stepping on each other, and cutting in line. It resembled Chicago at rush hour, and those pilots all showed terrible airmanship.
Sadly, this poor behavior didn’t cease when everyone got on the ground. I lost count of how many people reported having their bicycles, bags, and camping chairs stolen. I saw generators lashed to RVs with heavy chains. In one instance, the owner of the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer that parked in Boeing Plaza had his backpack stolen while he was securing the aircraft.
Other poor behavior came from the flightline. For safety reasons, the flightline moved about 120 feet back on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to accommodate the Red Arrows aerobatic display. This move was temporary, and the restriction lifted as soon as the Red Arrows were done on each day. On Saturday, this resulted in a literal stampede of people running 120 feet forward with chairs and other junk in hand to get a spot for the nighttime air show. This was dangerous, and everyone is lucky that nobody was injured.
If all of that wasn’t bad enough, some folks used the flightline as a trashcan. A woman brazenly discarded an empty bottle and a camping chair bag right in front of my face. Never thought I’d do a Gambler 500-style trash cleanup at AirVenture, but I did.
Thankfully, I’d say the bad behavior, which also included just general rudeness from some people, came from a minority of visitors. While very sad to see, most people at AirVenture were kind and respectful. I suppose that, with over 734,000 people all in one place, there are bound to be some bad apples. Oh well, let’s get to more plane action!
A Rotating Display Of Awesome
This year’s highlight aircraft were a little different. Usually, there’s some large airliner occupying Boeing Plaza for much of the show. You can usually count on something like a Super Guppy, Boeing 747, or some widebody airliner parked up front. This time, the Super Guppy couldn’t make it due to being damaged in a storm. Boeing Plaza had a rotating cast of fun planes throughout the week.
A highlight for me was the Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900.
I have never seen an A350 up close and certainly have never walked around one. Seeing it blew my mind. I’m always impressed by how large turbofan engines can get when you stand next to them, and I adored checking out the guts of the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-84 turbofans strapped to the wings of this beauty. These engines put out 84,200 lbf thrust each!
I also loved chatting with the crew, who seemed to really enjoy flying and working on this aircraft. One of the aircraft’s mechanics gave me a sweet holographic trading card! They even told me when they were leaving, so I could get some images and video.
The plane that really got my attention in Boeing Plaza this year was the Red Bull Flying Bulls 1958 Douglas DC-6B. She looked so gorgeous under a Wisconsin sunrise, and her crew was so impeccably dressed. What can I say? I’m a sucker for polished aluminum.
Here’s what Red Bull says about its aircraft:
Without a doubt, the DC-6B is the crown jewel of the Flying Bulls. Built in 1958, the plane has had an illustrious past. She was used to chauffeur heads of state and their celebrity guests all over the world. The sheer size and the unmistakable 1950s coat of the DC-6B are as impressive as ever. All over the world, the DC-6B is renowned for her eventful history. Manufactured in Douglas, Santa Monica, in 1958, the plane was sold to the stateowned Yugoslavian airline JAT. Premier Marshall Josip Broz Tito ordered a luxury model for himself and his celebrity guests. In 1975, Tito sold the plane to Zambia’s head of state Kenneth Kaunda who also used the DC-6B as a luxury airliner – until he left her abandoned outside Lusaka airport.
This is where Chris Schutte, the manager of a small aviation company in Windhoek, Namibia, found her, and by chance discovered a sister plane! In fact, Schutte bought the last two remaining DC-6Bs and began restoring them. However, as troubles along the Angolan border intensified, Schutte was forced to sell one of the DC-6B planes, and that’s exactly when the Flying Bulls appeared on the scene. In March 2000, Sigi Angerer, chief Flying Bulls pilot, spotted the DC-6B for sale in Africa in an airline magazine and quickly made his move. On July 7th 2000, the plane took off from Windhoek and headed for Salzburg. The flight took 28 hours, with 4 stops, causing no problems. In 2001, restoration began and following thousands of hours of labour, the DC-6B left the workshop in all her glory three years later.
Once registered as “Fish Eagle” under the registration number V5-NCF in Namibia, the plane received the American aircraft register N996DM shortly after its transfer to Austria. Thirteen years later, the DC-6B was finally given Austrian citizenship and now operates under the Austrian registration OE-LDM, making it the first DC-6B to ever receive an Austrian code. The first DC-6B to receive an Austrian code has fascinated people ever since its arrival, boasting a brand-new interior, four new engines and the latest technology. Everyone agrees the DC-6B is in better shape today than when she left her Douglas birthplace in 1958.
The Flying Bulls DC-6B sports a quartet of Pratt & Whitney R 2800 CB-3 radials with 18 cylinders and 2,400 HP on tap, each. She drinks 1,000 liters of fuel per hour, can fly for 23 hours straight, and has a top speed of 297 knots.
It’s Bigger Than It Looks
One of my other favorites was this, the Seattle II, a replica of the legendary Douglas World Cruiser. From the Seattle World Cruiser Association:
On September 28th, 1924 three aircraft touched down at Sand Point Washington to complete the first circumnavigation of the globe by aircraft. The aim of our project is to fly a reproduction of one of these aircraft, dubbed Seattle II, around the world in celebration of that epic and historic first leap around our planet. To that end we have constructed a reproduction of one of the original aircraft to make the journey. The 1924 Douglas World Cruiser was, in itself, a successful and durable design, and became the basis for several follow-on contracts with the Navy and commercial operators.
The Seattle 2 is powered by the same type of engine that powered the original Cruisers; a 400 HP Liberty V-12.engine. Many consider the engine to be the most important contribution the United States made to aviation technology during World War I. It was designed in just 6 days by Jesse G. Vincent of Packard and Elbert J. Hall of Hall-Scott in mid-1917 for the U.S. Government. Automakers Ford, Lincoln, Packard, Marmon, and Buick produced 20,748 Liberty 12s before the Armistice. The engine also powered the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic, the Curtiss NC-4, and the first plane to make a nonstop flight across the U.S. a Fokker T-2. Another major area for upgrading was the fuselage. The Douglas World Cruiser of 1924 was a redesign by Donald Douglas and Jack Northrup of a successful Navy torpedo-carrying float plane. In this transition, the fuselage moved from a combination and-wire-trussed wood affair to an all-tubing assemblage with some adjustable metal tie rods. We replaced the tie rods with tubing. Ease, cost, strength, as well as reliability of modern materials and methods, motivated this use of a unified fabrication approach.
Where the original aircraft had a basic electrical system for starter and running lights, we’ve added to this a state-of-the-art avionics package, as required in the international aviation environment. To accommodate modern landing facilities, we’ve replaced the tail skid with a wheel and installed brakes on the main landing gear. Edo metal floats with water rudders will be used instead of the original non-steerable wooden pontoons. Durability of metal floats and better hydrodynamic design will better serve the Seattle World Cruiser on its world flight. The original aircraft’s cover material was cotton. This fabric was organic and the paints used were very flammable. When wet, the cover would sag and distort the airfoil. The water also added considerable weight to the aircraft, degrading performance. In the sun, the old fabric would dry out and tighten, again distorting the airframe. Additionally, the original fabric was prone to rot, requiring replacement many times during an aircraft’s lifetime. New materials and processes have led to the development of long-lasting, durable covers and finishes, which are non-flammable.
What got my attention the most was the sheer size of the thing. The Seattle II simply dwarfed every other aircraft in the area. Oh yeah, and the cockpit is entirely open! Imagine flying that hulk of an aircraft around the world without a ceiling over your head.
Sheryl Got To Model For A Plane
Sheryl’s favorite aircraft was the Demoiselle. From the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome:
The Santos-Dumont “Demoiselle” is a typical example of vintage aviation technology. With a wingspan of 19 feet and a 35 HP engine, the Demoiselle is considered one of the world’s first ultralight aircraft. Alberto Santos-Dumont of Brazil made the first officially observed powered, controlled flight in Europe in 1906 with his canard “14-bis” aircraft. The flight, in France, covered a distance of 722’.
In 1907 he designed and built the Demoiselle (nicknamed the “infuriated grasshopper”) using bamboo extensively. He made plans available and many were built around the globe. Instead of a conventional control stick placed in front of the pilot, one was located behind the seat and the pilot would slip into the Demoiselle sliding the control stick into a pocket sewn into the back of the flight suit. Leaning to the left or right actuated the wing warping system thus banking the aircraft while in flight. The Demoiselle is an excellent example of a pioneer aircraft demonstrating that aircraft design was still in its infancy, and that standardized methods of control had not yet been developed.
Dumont established a relationship with jeweler Louis Cartier. When he found accessing his pocket watch to monitor his flight time was somewhat inconvenient, he discussed this with Cartier who developed the concept of a wristwatch for men, an idea that Dumont popularized. Cartier continues to produce the “Santos” watch to this day.
The example at AirVenture is a replica that was built by the Club Aero des Garrigues in France beginning in 2018. It took volunteers over 11,000 hours over seven years to build the replica. To make sure the aircraft is as accurate as possible, the volunteers used only the construction methods that were available in 1907.
One of the Club Aero des Garrigues volunteers was on hand and explained that Demoiselle is a contraction of mademoiselle and is a synonym for “jeune fille,” or young woman. The volunteer told us that Demoiselle also roughly translates to damsel and that Sheryl’s look perfectly captured the spirit of the aircraft. He then proceeded to have her model for the aircraft for the club’s next magazine issue. D’aww.
Getting Experimental With My Fireworks Shots
Every year, an aircraft in Boeing Plaza is designated as a photo subject, and photographers rush to it to get pictures of it in front of the Wednesday night fireworks show. Since 2022, I followed the flow, getting shots of the same plane in front of the fireworks as the other folks. This year, I decided to get experimental. The highlight aircraft was an America 250-themed Southwest Boeing 737, which I thought was cool, but I wasn’t really amped for.
Instead, I started searching the aircraft areas near the center of the flightline for a neat aircraft. I really wanted the Seattle II to be my subject, but I feared it was too far away from the fireworks and explosions. I ended up at this 1938 Ryan SCW-145, which is a rare piece of history. It’s one of only 12 built, and of that, it’s one of only five that remain airworthy.
Between 1938 and today, this Ryan has managed to fly around the world. Its life started in San Diego, and from there, it’s been to Oklahoma, Florida, Australia, England, France, New Zealand, and then back to America. This absurdly rare plane is more well-traveled than many people! This Ryan even served America as a U-Boat patrol during World War II.
It was a little difficult getting good pictures of the Ryan under the fireworks given all of the different light sources and people who kept walking in front of the camera, but I did get some shots that I loved.
This year also changed how the AirVenture schedule works. In the past, I’ve said that AirVenture is really two shows in one. From Monday to Wednesday, there was usually a lot of general aviation aircraft and commercial airliners. Then, a massive wave of these aircraft departs on Thursday after the Wednesday night fireworks show. From Thursday to Sunday, a lot more military aircraft move in. In the past, I recommended that if you weren’t into military hardware, get your pictures done by Wednesday.
While there was a mass departure on Thursday this year, the aircraft that replaced those that went home weren’t just military pieces. Commercial airliners were still arriving at Oshkosh, and a large number of GA aircraft stayed behind, too. So many aircraft rotated through Boeing Plaza that there was a whole spreadsheet covering it all.
You Have To Come One Year
Still, my advice remains the same: If you want in on the fun next year, get to AirVenture early, no later than Monday, if you can. If you see a plane you like, get pictures of it right away. There’s always a chance it’ll leave on that same day. If the aircraft’s operator is nearby, ask them when they’re leaving. That takes out the guesswork and prevents you from missing a departure that you wanted to see. I missed out on the departures of the 777, the A321, and the Southwest 737 because I had no idea when they were leaving.
Also, consider that you are not the only person there. A lot of people will haul in all sorts of chairs and coolers, plop them down at the very front of the flightline, and then disappear for most of the day. This is technically against the rules, but EAA’s volunteers don’t really enforce it. Some of these people never even return to the flightline despite dropping everything down there, so they’re hogging a space that someone else can use.
I’ve now had the time of my life for the fifth time in a row. Somehow, AirVenture keeps getting better every year, and there’s always something to keep me excited through a whole week. Thanks to AirVenture, I now have piloting a Goodyear airship and piloting a DC-3 on my bucket list. Of course, one year I want to be a part of the huge line of planes coming in, too.
I was actually sad when I left this year’s event. Sure, I had seen everything and been just about everywhere. I had gotten a whole week of experiences. Yet, I didn’t want it to end. I wanted a time machine to start it all over again. For one week every year, an empty airfield turns into a city with a greater population than many actual locales. Then, it becomes a grassy field all over again, and the city disappears. I can’t wait until 2027 when I can join the madness all over again.
“The End,” but I have way too many great pics to share, so here are a bunch more!
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and its eight engines will always be impressive.
A Yak 52!
Oh, here’s what the Ryan looks like when things aren’t exploding around it.
The Red Bull P-38 was hard to get pictures of because people always crowded around it.
I love twin-boom designs like this.
It’s like a flying mirror!
I wonder what this North American T-28C is like to fly?
Experimenting with Warbird close-ups with my phone.
The Red Bull DC-6 looks resplendent in polished aluminum.
One of NASA’s jets catching a Friday morning sunrise.
Another one from the Friday morning DC-3/C-47 formation flight.
Okay, just one more!
All images: Author
I love that your favorite plane in the Boeing plaza was an Airbus. Feels appropriate in my opinion.
I also looked up the text below the Seattle II name, and this is what I got:
“The text in the image beneath “SEATTLE II” is written in Lushootseed (also known as Puget Sound Salish), the traditional language of the Coast Salish people of western Washington.”
Awesome! The giant Avgeek side of me is jealous yet again. Your fireworks pictures are fantastic. As is the picture of your wife with the Demoiselle – she really does fit the bill!
That DC3 instantly made me think of a pocket watch I own. Sadly, I don’t have a story to go with it, and I have dreams of tracking it down some day, but I’m not sure how I’d go about it.
watch.jpg
Fantastic pictures!! This event looks amazing.
This looks incredible! The NASA jet in one of the last photos is a T-38 I believe. Did you see any F-4 Phantoms? I love going to military aviation museums and that plane is one of my favorites. I’m not certain how many are in flyable condition as they had a reputation for being rather expensive to maintain.
Both Greece and Turkey still fly the F4.
Fantastic photos, as usual!
That’s quite the dihedral on the Demoiselle. Two of your fireworks pictures reminded me of Dr. Strangelove and Apocalypse Now.
❤️
I have become addicted to Sky Cards because of Mercedes. I was playing a lot around Oshkosh the last week to try to get planes that I didn’t have. It was interesting reading the article and seeing some of those same planes instead of visualizing them on the game, because it seems the photos on the game are not always accurate. The P-38 looks amazing. Hope to make it there one day!
This is great, it should be wonderful to see al this in person, glad you were there to report it.
There was a guy there who flew arounf the world in an experimental airplane. I believe he spent one day in Oshkosh.
Since you are an aviation geek, worth checking his website: https://frotaspelomundo.com.br/
WOW! you were so lucky to see all of that. Glad you both had such a good time.
“ I’m a sucker for polished aluminum.“
If you’re ever in the UK I have the keys to an English Electric Lightning. Lots of polished aluminium and you can sit in the cockpit.
No engines though.
Excellent firework show pictures, especially the mushroom cloud explosion one.
A always wonder how Red Bull has enough money for motorsports, planes and record breaking stunts. I don’t know anyone that drinks it.
The few people I know who drink the stuff are addicted.
I’ve had it once. I’m not sure why people drink it because it didn’t taste bad or good, it was if anything sort of like flat apple juice mixed with punch.
I’ve also had it once, at about 11pm half way through a drive from the west coast to the east coast (I’m in the UK, so that’s just five/six hours).
I got home fine, but two hours after getting home I was still totally unable to sleep.
They sell a product called ” Mountain Dew” here and the stuff is very caffeinated. A favorite of rednecks here. I’m visiting my parents in Tennessee and its hot as hell so I bought a 12 pack of that stuff. Holy shit. It almost makes my hands shake. Bad idea.
Craziest energy drink I’ve encountered is Hi-ball. It’s a big can of carbonated, heavily caffeienated, unsweenened flavored water. I barely got through a third of the can before I was jittery.
Never heard of that one. I did have ” Jolt Cola” a few times. That stuff was nasty.
FWIW, Mountain Dew is about half the caffeine content of Red Bull. It’s why I tend to stay away from energy drinks, regardless of what they taste like.
Me and a friend were at a flea market in LA this winter and a truck pulled up with a load of Monster energy drinks, handing them out to people at the market. I had never had one. It also tasted like… nothing. Like some weird… fruit… flavor? It wasn’t good IMHO.
Mountain Dew is what powers an awful lot of IT in the US, LOL.
I used to drink it by the gallon, as I can’t stand coffee. Unfortunately, as I got older, my endocrine system said “that’s enough, dumbass”.
I had to get a job- ANY job when I moved to California almost 30 years ago and the first place that would hire me was a lumber yard. They opened at 5:00AM and they had a soda machine up in the break room. I got to where I could slam two of those at 4:45AM to wake myself up and to this day- can drink Mtn Dew anytime- which is weird.
Money laundering?
I drank so much of the stuff in college- specifically because I was a Vettel fan growing up. Now, I’ve switched to white monster because I want low calorie caffeine and cannot stand the sugar free Red Bull. But if I’m having a late night with friends, Red Bull is my go to.
The Red Bull ‘air force’ is ridiculous:
https://www.hangar-7.com/en/museum/the-flying-bulls
They have so many aircraft! That P-38 is the only complete one in Europe.
Wonderful. Thank you, Mercedes.
When we win the lottery, my wife and I will be at the next Air Venture!
Many kudos Mercedes! Loving the write up and pictures! The ones with the Ryan and fireworks are way cool. Polished aluminum surfaces can make for really interesting photos.
I’ve put this event on the to-do list for someday, when I’m retired.
Journalist/Photographer. Attorney/Model. Start fighting crime and you have a hit TV show. Thanks for the story and the wonderful pics.
If you get a chance to catch a re-positionong flight it is possible to fly on the Delta A350-900 domestically. I’ve done that on a flight from MSP to DTW, it’s a lot easier than catching the long haul to ICN or my next A350 flight to HND and probably about the most comfortable way to experience the jet.
Comfort plus or premium select are nicer than the economy seats which are kind of uncomfortable, but usually the price is so much less. I’m sure Delta one is even better but I’ve never experienced that cabin on the Airbus or any other jet.
I had the opportunity last year to take a Delta A350 from LAX to Paris in premium economy and despite the tickets being a bit spendy it was a good ride (keeping the wife who suffers from a bad back happy by giving her better seats and more legroom is worth it). Coming back we were on a KLM 787 from Amsterdam to LAX, also in premium economy and also a good ride. The new planes are definitely an upgrade from the old A330/340 and 747/757/767/777 types I had taken for intercontinental flights previously. I would say service and comfort was pretty comparable between the two, with perhaps a slight edge to the Airbus but not enough to care.
It was a little weird to be on the European aircraft for the US flag carrier and vice versa, but I was very pleased to pick up the two remaining major airliner types I had not yet been on (Airbus and US types, haven’t been on a Chinese or Russian-built plane).
I took Delta A350-900s from LAX to/from BNE this year. While they were certainly an improvement over the 747s I took to Australia in my youth, there is definite room for improvement in passenger comfort (humidity!). Think it might be more fun to see at an airshow than to actually be a passenger…
The new composite airplanes (B787 and A350) both have a lower cabin altitude by about 2000 feet and allow for higher humidity. I’ve found in long haul flying the improvement is quite noticeable in how I feel after the flight compared to older aluminum hull planes (B777, A340 etc).
Looks absolutely mega and both you and Sheryl look like you are having a fantastic time together during it, even after all the days and miles!
What is the function of the louvered radiator on the Seattle II?
Regulating engine temperature and reducing drag.
I’m SO jealous. Thanks for sharing as always!
Edit: I see you and your necklace! Just like my little pewter DC-3 lapel pin I bust out once in awhile. ✈️
Red Bull’s budget is insane, and their planes are my fav from what you’ve presented here. Polished aluminum definitely just hits different.
Absolutely crazy that a energy drink company has enough money for airplanes, f1, jumping anything and everything off of anything and everything else, and all the other sports they’re in.
I consider Red Bull a top shelf marketing company that happens to sell drinks.
It’s wild. I was watching a climbing competition recently and there was an older climber who hadn’t been as active in recent years. Even the young climbers who didn’t know her knew she must be good because she had a Red Bull chalk bag.
Didn’t go this year, just not mentally prepared for 750,000 people and the possibility of 95 degrees on asphalt. The smoke didn’t help the decision. But my brother went up solo since he hasn’t missed one in decades. Of course he is a mechanic and we would go with my oldest brother who was an aeronautical engineer. He would motorcycle or drive in from Connecticut religiously. And the whole affair up there is kind of spiritual, like flight itself. Sadly there were a few jerks who shall be excommunicated as soon as they are found out. Next year for sure though! And bravo to ypu Mercedes once again with an amazing write up…
Awesome! Thanks for the write-up.
The fireworks photos were almost as impressive as the airplanes.
I remember seeing that Red Bull P-38 many times under its former owner, Lefty Gardner, when it was named White Lightning.
You got some great pictures! I’d really like to make it out there some time.
1,000 liters of fuel an hour, wow!