The Capital Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is kicking off the 2021 airshow season with a “Warbird Showcase” event at the Culpeper Regional Airport on Saturday and Sunday, April 10-11.
“We can’t wait to start flying for the public,” said Pete Ballard, Assistant Adjutant of the Capital Wing. “Our WWII airplanes are all gassed up and ready to go. People can buy flight adventures in our Stinson L-5 Sentinel forward air controller, Boeing PT-17 Stearman open cockpit bi-plane, or General Motors TBM Avenger Doris Mae, the largest and heaviest single engine bomber of WWII. Arriving on Saturday, April 10, will be the Delaware Aviation Museum iconic twin-engine twin-tailed North American B-25 bomber Panchito ready to share her WWII history with lucky passengers.
“We think once Panchito sees Doris Mae it will be love at first sight. Come out and see them together,” said Ballard.
Flight adventures can be purchased in advance at www.capitalwingwarbirdrides.org/ or at
https://www.delawareaviationmuseum.org/damf/lhfe/rides.html.
Last year most seats sold out quickly so the public is encouraged to book their flight early. Flight adventures can be purchased starting at just $99. Flights that are not sold in advance will be available for purchase on site the day of the event.
Added this year is a “two for one” flight package: buy a TBM flight and receive a free Stinson L-5 flight. Also new this year is an extensive “Torpedo Mission” flight in the TBM Avenger Doris Mae which includes a mission profile, aeronautical map of the flight area, flight suits for the duration of the flight, and an extensive pre-flight briefing by the pilot. This is probably as close to piloting the torpedo bomber as one can get.
The Warbird Showcase will open at 10 a.m. and run until 4 p.m. at the Culpeper Regional Airport, Beverly Ford Road at Rts 29/15 in Elkwood. Lunch will be available on site at the Order Up! food truck and various aviation themed items will be for sale at the Capital Wing PX and B-25 tent.
In addition to the four WWII warbird offering flight adventures, there will be static displays on the ramp or in the Capital Wing Hangar including a very unique Fairchild F24 Forwarder, made in Hagerstown, Md., a Vultee BT-13 basic trainer flown by the Tuskegee Airmen and a French Alouette II turbine helicopter.
The public may also visit the small WWII museum at the Capital Wing hangar.
This is the first stop in this year’s Warbird Showcase Tour. Six additional events are scheduled for 2021: Warrenton in May, Culpeper again in July and August, Richmond in July, Hagerstown (MD) in September, and Fredericksburg in October.
Warbird flight adventures can be purchased for any of these events, although not all aircraft will be flying at every airport.
Both the Capital Wing and the Delaware Aviation Museum Foundation are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and ticket purchases may be tax deductible. All Warbird Showcase events will observe federal, state and local COVID pandemic guidelines.
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