Fall Foliage Flights at Culpeper Airport October 28-29

PRESS RELEASE

The Culpeper Regional Airport, located off routes 15/29 near Brandy Station, VA, will be the site of Fall Foliage Flights provided by the Commemorative Air Force Capital Wing. At the expected height of the fall foliage in Virginia, warbirds from the Capital Wing will fly rides offering unparalleled views of the Virginia countryside from the air. These Fall Foliage Flights will be available Saturday and Sunday, October 28 and 29 from 10:oo AM until 4:00 PM. Parking and attendance are free.

The featured warbird will be a North American T-6 Texan, a WWII trainer, which taught American airmen the advanced tactics they would need to fly high-performance fighters in combat. The T-6 is powered by a 600hp Pratt and Whitney “Wasp” radial engine, providing a top speed of over 200mph with a cruise speed of 145mph. The North American T-6 is one of the most sought-after warbird rides and flights tend to sell out quickly. Flights (one passenger) in the T-6 are priced at $450.

Two other WWII warbirds will be flying Fall Foliage Flights: a 1942 Boeing PT-17 Stearman open cockpit bi-plane for $315 (one passenger) and a Fairchild UC-61 Forwarder (two adults or one adult and two children) for $225. In addition, rides will be available in a Grumman AA-1B (one passenger) for $125. All Fall Foliage Flights can be booked in advance at https://www.capitalwingwarbirdrides.org/ and all rides not booked in advance will be available for sale at the Culpeper Airport the weekend of October 28 and 29.

The Capital Wing has assembled a wide variety of attractions on the ground during the Fall Foliage Flights to interest everyone in the family including two rare warbirds on the hangar ramp: a French Alouette II, the world’s first jet-powered helicopter and a Japanese Fuji LM-1 aircraft, one of only three in the world. Everyone can “walk on the wing” of the TBM Avenger torpedo bomber, the largest and heaviest single-engine bomber of WWII. The public can walk through the CAF hangar and see two WWII warbirds under maintenance: a Vultee BT-13 Valiant, and the very rare Stinson OY-1 which flew in actual combat during the June 1944 Battle of Saipan.

Also on the Capital Wing ramp will be a 1943 WWII US Army T-16 light tank and WWII Jeep. Reenactors will set up an encampment and show what life was like for a US soldier during WWII. A unique Ural motorcycle with a sidecar will be available for rides. The Capital Wing PX (Post eXchange) trailer will have a variety of military aviation-themed items for sale including aircraft models and can make personalized dog tags on an original 1941 US Army dog tag machine. A B-26 bomber 50-caliber machine gun turret will be on display for kids (and small-sized adults!) to climb into and experience being a top gunner. For those looking for a unique gift or tabletop centerpiece, the Capital Wing will be selling a variety of authentic aircraft cockpit instruments.

All aircraft flights are subject to weather, unanticipated maintenance, and pilot availability. For more information about the CAF Capital Wing and to book rides, visit www.capitalwingwarbirdrides.org