Based out of Culpeper, Virginia, the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) Capital Wing will bring its Warbird Showcase event to the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport (MRB) in Martinsburg, West Virginia over the weekend of October 16/17 (show hours 10AM to 4PM both days). The Capital Wing and MRB have teamed up to bring the public an outstanding weekend of attractions for the entire family. While attendance is free to the public, donations would be much appreciated to the non-profit MRB Foundation and Capital Wing. (For parking, please use Pilot Way off Novak Drive on the south side of MRB.)
Warbird rides will be available in a Stinson L-5 Sentinel and a Boeing PT-17 Stearman. These flight adventures should be purchased in advance at the Capital Wing bookings website HERE, but any unsold flight time slots will be available for purchase onsite during the event.
“Warbird rides are an opportunity for the public to sit in the same seats as did the crew of our aircraft in WWII. And feel the same power of the engines at take-off just as they did. And smell the same smells they did,” said Pete Ballard, Warbird Rides Coordinator for the Capital Wing. Ballard then added: “Providing these warbird rides is a part of the CAF mission to honor the thousands of men and women who built, serviced, and piloted the vintage WWII aircraft we keep flying.”
At the other end of the runway to the WWII warbirds, a locally-based Boeing C-17 Globemaster III from the 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard will be on static display and available for the public to walk through its cavernous cargo bay. The C-17 is one of the largest aircraft in the present-day US Air Force, with a wingspan of 169 feet and an empty weight of 282,000 lbs. By comparison, the Capital Wing’s Stinson L-5 has a wingspan of just 34 feet and an empty weight of 1,550lbs!
In between the 21st century C-17 and WWII warbirds, there will be a number of static WWII aircraft and current General Aviation types including a 1940 Stinson 10, a 2004 Sportstar, and a sleek Cirrus. Also on display will be a WWII-era machine-gun turret from a Martin B-26 Marauder. Kids (or small adults) will have the opportunity to climb inside this rare, twin 50-caliber turret. Nearby, the Capital Wing’s PX will be selling aviation-themed hats, shirts, pins, and airplane models. A food truck and portable toilets will be onsite for public convenience.
The Capital Wing is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization based in Culpeper, Virginia with more than 100 members. It is a Unit of the Commemorative Air Force whose mission is to educate, inspire, and honor through flight and living history experiences. The CAF now ranks as one of the largest air forces in the world, with a fleet of more than 175 WWII aircraft.
CAF Capital Wing warbird rides sell out quickly, so those interested in taking part should purchase their rides without delay. For frequently asked questions regarding flight requirements, check-in times, cancellations, and changes, please contact capitalwingcaf@gmail.com. All aircraft are subject to pilot availability, maintenance, weather, and operational requirements. The Capital Wing and the Commemorative Air Force are non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations and ticket purchases may be tax-deductible.
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