A group of early aircraft representing the first decades of powered flight is scheduled to be featured during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026, set for July 20-26 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The “Pioneers of Flight” display will include original aircraft along with reproductions and replicas illustrating developments that followed the Wright brothers’ earliest powered flights. Aircraft will be based in the event’s vintage aircraft area.
“The earliest designs were conceived by individuals and appear fragile by today’s standards, but they accomplished many of the first milestones in flight,” Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programs, said. “The pace of innovations during aviation’s first quarter century is astonishing as one looks at where it started to where it was by the late 1920s.”
Among others, the display aircraft will include a replica of the 1907 Santos-Dumont Demoiselle, a 1909 Blériot XI design, a Morane-Saulnier Type L reproduction, a restored 1916 J-1 Standard, a 1927 Swallow biplane and a reproduction of the Spirit of St. Louis built by EAA.
Planned activities tied to the exhibit include forums hosted by the Vintage Aircraft Association, evening presentations, engine run-ups and selected demonstrations during afternoon air shows. A detailed schedule is to be released at a later date, EAA said.
Will be the best feature at Oshkosh…!!!
And turn the bloody commentators off.!
If you want to get a flavor of the early days of flying, check out “Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines”. It’s a slightly goofy movie from the 60s, set in 1910. Lots of actual flying scenes in real vintage and reproduction aircraft from the era – probably the same planes that are in this collection.