Event Marks 60th Anniversary Of World War II Finale

A one-of-a-kind reunion of World War II bombers will make an unforgettable appearance during the 53rd annual EAA AirVenture fly-in convention, July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

This gathering will feature five B-17 aircraft and several B-25s -- both EAA AirVenture Oshkosh staples, though rarely seen in these numbers. Additionally, this year a B-24 and the only airworthy B-29 in the world will join the fleet, neither of which has made an AirVenture appearance within the past 10 years.

"We will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II with a phenomenal reunion of bombers," said Tom Poberezny, EAA president and AirVenture chairman. "We are eager to see these bombers together -- a one-of-a-kind appearance only at EAA AirVenture."

The bombers will be on display in AeroShell Square, the prime showcase area at EAA AirVenture, and most will fly in the Warbird air shows, scheduled for every day of the event, except Thursday, July 28. The largest warbird air shows will take place Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30.

The B-17s scheduled to be at EAA AirVenture 2005 include "Fuddy Duddy," from the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center; "Aluminum Overcast" from EAA's collection; Yankee Air Museum's "Yankee Lady"; "Thunderbird" from the Lonestar Flight Museum; and the recently restored "Liberty Belle" from the Liberty Foundation.

In addition, EAA AirVenture participants can experience history firsthand, by flying in the historic B-17 bomber "Fuddy Duddy" during the event. Those who book an EAA AirVenture B-17 flight by July 8, 2005, will receive free admission to AirVenture 2005 for the day.

The once-in-a-lifetime bomber display will be just one of the many highlights at EAA AirVenture 2005. Also in the spotlight at the convention will be the recent aviation newsmakers SpaceShipOne/White Knight and GlobalFlyer.

FMI: www.airventure.org/b17, www.airventure.org