The Capital Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) will be hosting an Open House at the Culpeper VA Regional Airport on Saturday April 29. The public will have the opportunity to take warbird rides, view one-of-a-kind aircraft on static display, see a helicopter demonstration flight, visit the aviation museum, enjoy a ride on a Ural motorcycle with sidecar, climb inside a B-26 machine gun turret, and purchase aviation-themed items at the PX.
Warbird rides will be available in a Fairchild UC-61 Forwarder, a 1930s art-deco styled warbird which carries 3 passengers, and a Boeing PT-17 Stearman open cockpit bi-plane, as well as a TBM Avenger torpedo bomber, the largest and heaviest single-engine bomber of WWII. Rides can be purchased at https://www.capitalwingwarbirdrides.org/ and any flights not booked in advance will be available on site the day of the event.
Visitors to the Capital Wing Open House will see two unique aircraft that cannot be seen anywhere else. A Japanese Fuji LM-1, one of only 4 flying in the world today, and a French Alouette II, the world’s first gas turbine powered helicopter. The Alouette helicopter will make a demonstration flight at 12 Noon. And it is LOUD!
For those who want a truly unique coffee table decoration, the Capital Wing will be selling quite a few authentic aircraft instruments: altimeters, turn and bank indicators, rpm gauges, etc. These are not reproductions, but actual devices removed from warbird and civilian aircraft instrument panels.
Visitors can wander thru the large hangar and see the Vultee BT-13 Valiant being restored to flying condition and view the artifacts in the museum. Outside WWII reenactors in full gear will have an encampment set up.
The public is encouraged to bring children and grandchildren who can climb inside the Martin B-26 machine-gun turret, ride in the Ural motorcycle sidecar, or go home with an airplane model from the PX.
The mission of the Capital Wing is to “Keep ‘Em Flying” to honor the thousands of men and women who built, serviced, and flew our WWII warbirds.
The Capital Wing is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and is staffed entirely by volunteers. For more information, please contact CapitalWingRides@gmail.com.