Huge formation fills row upon row of parking space in the North 40

By ANN Correspondent Juan Jiménez

Just as I was leaving Texas and getting settled into the drive to Wisconsin, I decided to call my friend Al De Marzo, who owns a pristine vintage Bonanza, to find out if he's going to OSH. If he's not, I always ask him if he wants me to shop for anything he needs for his airplane.

This time he told me he, too, was on his way to OSH and would meet me when I arrived. Sure enough, he was already here when I got in, and he told me he was parked in the "North 40." Not being used to the terminology of the parking areas just yet, it took me a while to find out what he was talking about. But what really threw me for a loop was what I found when I finally reached row 530 - row upon row upon row of Beech Bonanza's of all types, models and colors!

What I had run into was the gaggle of Bonanzas that come every year to OSH in formation and call themselves B2OSH. Honest, I had never seen that many Bonanzas in one place… or owners of Bonanzas, all wearing green polo shirts and attacking the kegs and coolers with some serious gusto.

This year 82 birds made the trip. I asked if that was a record. Turns out 1995 was the record year with 132 airplanes in the formation. Now that is a serious formation. My understanding is that people on the ground comment that seeing that many airplanes overhead reminds them of formations of returning aircraft during WWII.

To add to the festivities, Beechcraft brought out their newest A-36, fresh off the production line and the first of twelve aircraft to sport the special Centennial of Flight paint scheme and logo.

All in all, I have to admit that this is one impressive activity with some very dedicated people behind it. In fact, I overheard several people talking about how they would never come to OSH were it not for B2OSH. Well done, folks!

FMI: www.b2osh.org