Preliminary Bomber Schedule Announced for AirVenture 2017
June 27, 2017 - The year of the bomber at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017 keeps getting better as a B-2 Spirit, a B-1 Lancer, and a B-52 Stratofortress will come together in a composite flyover. This unique formation flyby at EAA AirVenture 2017 will be the first of its kind at a civilian air show.
The B-1, B-2, and B-52 will all fly as part of the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the 8th Air Force on Saturday, July 29. The modern bombers will be followed by two B-29s, two B-17s, several B-25s, and an A-20, plus more yet to be announced, in a parade of bombers. If 2017 is the year of the bomber, then Saturday is bomber day.
“AirVenture attendees are going to love the variety of bombers, both historic and modern, at Oshkosh this year,” said Dennis Dunbar, director of AirVenture air show operations. “Thanks to the unprecedented cooperation we received from the United States Air Force, Global Strike Command, and the 8th Air Force, this was made possible.”
The B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is unique due to its stealth configuration that makes it essentially undetectable by anti-aircraft defenses — no B-2 has ever been brought down by enemy fire since the bomber entered service in the 1990s. It will not be on static display, so be sure to be on the AirVenture grounds on Saturday to watch it pass overhead. The B-1 and B-52, however, will be on display throughout the week.
The B-1 will fly overhead to start the air show on Monday, July 24, to kick off bomber week, as well as on Wednesday, July 26, to honor the Doolittle Raiders after the Doolittle Raid reenactment.
The Doolittle Raid reenactment will take place on Wednesday, and feature more than a dozen B-25s to honor the Doolittle Raiders who flew the type 75 years earlier as part of an important aerial raid in World War II. Before the dramatic reenactment, the B-25s will be arranged in the Warbirds area as though they were on the deck of an aircraft carrier like the real Doolittle Raiders were on the USS Hornet.
The two B-29s will also fly on Friday, to celebrate the airplane’s 75th anniversary and its storied history. Doc and FIFI flying together will be the first time two B-29s have flown together in decades.
Fans of American bombers will certainly be thrilled about EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017, as dozens of the hulking warbirds will be on hand throughout the week.
Bomber Schedule
Monday – B-1, B-25s
Tuesday - B-25s, B-29s
Wednesday – B-25s, B-1 as part of the 75th anniversary reenactment of the Doolittle Raid
Friday – B-29s as part of B-29 75th anniversary celebration
Saturday – B-1, B-2, B-52, B-29s, B-17s, B-25s, A-20 as part of 8th Air Force 75th anniversary celebration
Bombers in Theater in the Woods/Fly-In Theater
In addition to the bombers flying overhead during AirVenture, the year of the bomber extends into the night as well. As part of the Theater in the Woods schedule, the Doolittle Raiders will be commemorated on Wednesday night, and the 8th Air Force 75th anniversary as well as the United States Air Force 70th anniversary will be celebrated on Saturday,
Additionally, two films featuring bombers will be shown at EAA’s Fly-In Theater: 30 Seconds Over Tokyo, a film about the Doolittle Raiders, and Strategic Air Command, a film about a bomber crew during the 1950s.
