By Emme Hornung
With rows and rows of thousands of aircraft to see on the AirVenture grounds, it may be hard to know exactly what you’re looking at. Lucky for you, the Warbirds Tram Tour solves that issue with a FREE, entertaining, pull-at-your-heartstrings review of the 12 zones of aircraft in the Warbirds area while you sit back and enjoy the ride.
Starting today, Monday, July 22, through Saturday, July 27, you can register for the tour starting bright and early at 7:30 a.m. until about 2 p.m. at the Warbirds Tram Tour base in Warbird Alley. The tour is free, but donations are welcome and go to support the mission of EAA Warbirds of America.
The 30-minute tour kicks off with acknowledgement and thanks to any veterans on board, and then the tour will take you through the entire Warbirds area — from fighters to liaison aircraft to bombers and everything else. The entertaining and knowledgeable narrators will give you not just the cold, hard facts, but also stories and insights on the warbirds. “They have a way of speaking, and everything is true,” said volunteer chairman Vic Krause. “The whole Warbirds area is hallowed ground because a lot of the machines out there that were restored, the last time they were flown was the last few seconds of someone’s life. Our narrators and briefers, they’ll make you laugh. They will make you cry. They’ll make you everything in between.”
Vic’s philosophy for the tram tour has been education through entertainment. “That’s my whole thing. I have found that if you want to teach people something, you better know how to entertain them first,” he said. “To educate and bring people to a better understanding about what sacrifices were made, how the country got to where we are, why we’re a successful nation. And warbirds are a small part of that.”
The Warbirds Tram Tour is celebrating its 15th year operating at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, and Vic couldn’t do it without the nearly 40 volunteers who make sure guests have a smooth, enjoyable experience, nor without the many sponsors that support their mission, including Concorde Battery, Covington Aircraft Engines, Inc., Hartzell Propeller, Tempest Aero Group, Aerobrew Coffee Co., Sarasota Avionics, and Heritage Aero.
So, if you’re looking to learn something new, head over to the Warbirds Tram Tour. It is sure to be time well spent while here at AirVenture.