Brian and I are heading off to OshKosh in the Texan so it can hang out with thousands of airplanes from across the country at 2008 Airventure (and we're looking forward to meeting their pilots). This year is special - it's the 70th anniversary for the Texan so we polished her up extra snazzy for this trip (thanks for the pic, Chris!). We'll be back soon with more stories and photos.

This past weekend was a lesson in history when the CAF's B-17 Sentimental Journey stopped through AMW.  I took the $5 tour, and after hitting my head half a dozen times, I have a new found understanding that not only was our WWII Army Air Corps incredibly heroic, they were very limber.

In the evening, after the cool CAF guys checked out for the day, we rolled over the Stearman and T6 to show the typical progression a WWII bomber pilot may have gone through - from primary trainer through advanced trainer to bomber... and of course the chance for a once-in-a-lifetime photo op couldn't be missed!

Now that the big party has wrapped up, we've been doing a heckuva lot of relaxing and flying. On the Fourth, after returning from the Iowa Falls fly-in breakfast (via the treetop route in the Stearman), I rented Hap's 172 to start getting my skills back into shape (geesh, I have a ways to go).  And to top off my day, I took the stick (OK, it's a yoke) of Ned's Tri-Pacer.  My hangar buddies had just as much variety in their flying endeavors, from piloting a Silent Knights glider to an immaculate Cessna 140.  In between our aerial adventures, we sat in the shade of the hangar door lazily watching airport traffic touch and go. And, the grand finale to a perfect day?  Watching fireworks in camp chairs from the end of Runway 13.  A great memory to cherish.

How was your Fourth of July?