This year’s EAA AirVenture air show and fly-in at Oshkosh didn’t disappoint, with a record crowd of over 730,000 people, and 10,000+ aeroplanes visiting over its duration.
For those who don’t know, Oshkosh is dubbed ‘the World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration’, and takes place every July at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, WI.
As well as the flying displays, it is a place where aviation enthusiasts, professionals and pilots come together to celebration flying. Many bring their own light or classic aircraft in, and both civilian and military representatives also send aircraft to take part in the show.
This means that wandering the giant site, as we did for the first time this year, you are likely to come across hundreds of historic, rare or simply classic aircraft of all shapes and sizes.
We’ve written about our visit to Oshkosh 2026 in our Airport Spotting Premium Members magazine for August (sign up to read it here). But as a taster we thought we’d bring you a selection of some of the incredible classic aircraft we saw this year:
1 – Flagship Detroit – The World’s Oldest Flying DC-3
Finished in this stunning all-metal early American Airlines livery, Flagship Detroit (NC17334) was built in 1937 and flew with the airline until 1947.
2 – P-51D Mustang “Plum Crazy”
Part of the Kermit Weeks hangar, this North American P-51D Mustang is finished in a stunning plum colour. Previously owned by Clay Lacy, it is said to have inspired the FedEx livery!
3 – Red Bull’s Douglas DC-6
Having made the trip from Europe, this immaculate Douglas DC-6, OE-LDM, was built in 1958 and took part in the air show.
4 – Lockheed Electra Junior NC18906
Probably one of the finest examples of the rare Lockheed 12A Electra still in existence is this example, built in 1939 and now in private hands.
5 – Stinson Reliant NC18407
There were a few Stinson Reliant aircraft on display, but this one caught our eye. NC18407 was built in 1937 and is painted to represent American Airlines’ Route Survey department.
6 – Travel Air S6000B NC9084
Another airframe with a wild history. This Travel Air S6000B was built in 1929 and has served as a barnstormer, aerial firefighter, passenger aircraft, executive transport, aerial photography platform and once spent 13 days in flight in an attempt to break a record!
7 – B-17 Flying Fortress Aluminium Overcast
A resident airframe at Oshkosh, Aluminium Overcast (N5017N) is one of only 46 suriving B-17 airframes. It was built in 1945 and just missed out on wartime service.
8 – Vintage Cessna 172 N8686B
This may not have been the oldest Cessna 172 on site – I haven’t checked. But it certainly stood out as an incredible example of one of the ‘vintage’ examples on site. Built in 1957, it’s in fantastic condition and wearing the original Tangerine livery. It’s incredible to think that these aircraft are still in production today, albeit much updated.
9 – B-25 Georgia Mae
This stunning B-25 Mitchell started life in 1945 as 44-86785. Incredibly she only flew four times between 1945-1951 and never saw serious war service. She later became a radar interceptor and training aircraft, and was then sent to Davis-Monthan for storage in 1957. A year later she was converted into an aerial firefighting platform, and since 1984 has been lovingly restored into her military identity.
10 – PB4Y-2 Privateer 66302
Another classic wartime airframe, this patrol bomber served in both World War II and the Korean War with the US Navy and later US Coast Guard. It is one of the last airworthy Privateers anywhere in the world.
Were you at Oshkosh this year? What was your favourite aircraft to see?
