OSHKOSH, Wis. (WFRV) – The Warbirds area at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh brings history to life.
The area features between 400 and 500 twentieth-century military aircraft, many of them used in World War II, the Vietnam War, and/or the Korean War. Each aircraft has a story, and there are some really good ones this year.
“Perhaps the biggest role that this aircraft played in changing the course of history wasn’t as a fighter jet in the German military but as captured equipment that was brought back here to the US where its technology was analyzed by US aeronautical engineers who were basically able to drive the emergence of modern technology,” said Keegan Chetwynd who is the director of the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia.
Chetwynd is talking about the Messerschmitt Me 262, a German aircraft used at the end of World War II. It was the first-ever turbojet aircraft in history and was a major upgrade to existing technology at the time.
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The Messerschmitt Me 262 is a replica, but it’s extremely rare to see this type of plane. When it arrived at EAA AirVenture, there was a huge crowd on the runway to welcome it to Oshkosh.
“When American pilots first encountered this, they’d never seen a jet engine before, never heard the sound,” said Chetwynd. “American pilots were saying that it was like they were just standing still, they just couldn’t catch it.”
Next door to the Messerschmitt Me 262 sits an American aircraft that belonged to an aviation hero. Jay T. Robbins shot down 22 planes in the Pacific theater during World War II, tied for the fourth most of any American pilot in the Pacific.
A company called ‘The Roost – Warbird Services’ restored the aircraft from its original pieces. Robbins named the plane ‘Jandina’, which combines his name with his wife’s name. It also has a picture of Buddha on the plane because Robbins believed it would bring him good luck.
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“We really think that is a good human connection, you don’t have to be an aviator to understand a good love story,” said Jason Muszala, who is the CEO of ‘The Roost-Warbird Services.’ “And this plane represents that for everybody.”
All the planes within the Warbirds area are reminders of the sacrifices of American aviators during times of war.
“The conditions of war are grueling,” Muszala said. “A lot of people don’t understand it or take it for granted. It’s important to preserve their legacy. They’re the heroes of this country, so we do it in honor of them.”
