T-6 Awaits for AirVenture 2018 Landing Slot

At the Dubuque, Iowa airport (DBQ) a vintage T-6 waits for the landing slot at AirVenture Oshkosh 2018 on July 22nd. Annually, the North American Trainer Association (NATA), made up of T-6 pilots and owners, gather in Dubuque for association business and to practice takeoffs/landings and formation flying for EAA's Airventure in nearby Wisconsin. WWII-era T-6 planes from around the world come to Dubuque for the meeting and are occasionally accompanied by a few P-51 Mustangs and F-4U Corsairs. Watching and listening to the planes as they roar to life, circle overhead and trail smoke in various formations is well worth the trip to Dubuque. The event inside the hangers and on the tarmac is not open to the public except for viewing behind fences. Be sure to stick around after the T-6s takeoff for Airventure - a few minutes later the planes will be in formation, trail smoke and give Dubuque an aerial salute before traveling east over the Mississippi River.

Watching the Flying Past

A farmer whose land is located near the Dubuque Regional Airport (DBQ) watches 41 T-6s take off to join AirVenture 2018 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Annually the T-6 Association conducts meetings and practices formations at DBQ in preparation for a week's worth of activities at the EAA event in Oshkosh. The hour and a half flight of T-6s from Dubuque to Oshkosh generally commences sometime between 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM on the third Sunday of July. Stay a bit longer at the airport following the T-6 take offs. You'll see a special salute to the airport and community from these aging warbird trainers.

P-51 Mustang and F4U Corsair at Dubuque

A photo from last weekend. A WWII era P-51 Mustang and F4U Corsair wait at the Dubuque Regional Airport for landing times at OSH16 Airventure. Both planes departed together (side by side) about 2:30 PM last Sunday. No doubt they caught up with the formation of T-6s headed that way. I did see the Corsair appear in other Oshkosh photos posted in social media sites last week.

Some Impressions From the T-6 Trainer Association Gathering at Dubuque Regional Airport

 

The T-6 Trainer Association meets the weekend of the start of EAA's Oshkosh air spectacular, The T-6 Texans stag at the Dubuque Regional Airport for a private gathering where the pilots practice two by two take offs and formation drills. This year I was able to visit the planes from both sides of the fence with the help of some event organizers. This photo is of a spotless T-6 that sports a chrome and paint look. I thought the contrast of metal and paint made for a great composition. Note the Iowa backdrop.

 

 

Two P-51 Mustangs were also present on the tarmac. The Rebel was cleaned before its flight to Wisconsin. I'm guessing that the cost to purchase this would be a couple of millions of dollars if it were on the market. Who knows what it costs to maintain it?

 

I met Tom Swindle from the Fort Worth, Texas area. Tom watched his pilot buddy fly a T-6 earlier in the day. Tom works at Cowtown Aerocrafters where WWII era aircraft are restored and maintained.

This is usually my vantage point to see the Oshkosh bound WWII planes. Sometimes I can get the lens through the chain link fence or in between the gate door. This year was a bit different.