By Christina Davies
Photography by Ainslee Campbell
On September 6, warbirds filled the sky over Osceola, Wisconsin, as they flew in for the annual Wheels & Wings Show. Their arrival turned the ramp into a living museum, where families, veterans, and young visitors could get up close to the aircraft that helped shape America’s aviation story.
For Air Show Director Scott Davies, the emphasis on filling the ramp with warbirds was intentional. “We wanted kids to see these airplanes, touch them, and hear their stories,” Davies explained. “If the next generation doesn’t experience them firsthand, aviation history risks fading into the background.”
Visitors arriving at the air show were met with a full lineup of historic aircraft: a Boeing PT-13 Stearman trainer, two postwar Beechcraft T-34 Mentors, three North American T-6 Texans, a Ryan L-17 Navion, a Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper, and a Stinson L-1/O-49. Even a classic 1956 Cessna 172 joined the show ramp. While not a military aircraft, its classic design served as a reminder that aviation didn’t stop with wartime service, but evolved into a vibrant postwar flying community. Nearby, more than 80 diverse general aviation aircraft flew in for the event, showing that the love of flight is as strong as ever.
Each airplane represented a chapter in America’s aviation story. The Stearman was the first taste of flight for thousands of WWII aviators. The T-6 was the “pilot maker” — turning trainees into combat-ready fliers. The Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper served as the eyes of the Army Air Forces, performing artillery spotting and short-field liaison missions. The Stinson L-1 brought critical supplies and medical evacuation to front-line troops. The Ryan Navion L-17 bridged the war and peacetime eras, offering a fast, sleek liaison aircraft for the U.S. Air Force in the late 1940s before becoming a favorite among civilian pilots. Davies emphasized the importance of keeping these aircraft flying: “What you see here is a living timeline of flight. When people can see and hear these planes in person, history becomes something they can feel and not just something they read about.”
For many families, this was the first time their children had experienced the wonder of aviation. This was their moment to feel the rumble of a radial start-up and watch a T-6 formation flight. Across the ramp, elderly veterans smiled as they spoke with pilots — their memories of service and flight resurfacing around the familiar sounds and scents of the warbirds. Davies had been working for months to ensure a full warbird ramp. While Wheels & Wings has long been known for its mix of cars, airplanes, and community celebration, he felt this year was the time to double down on aviation history.
“The veterans who flew these airplanes are fewer every year,” he noted. “That’s why it’s so important for today’s kids to see the airplanes up close. Seeing these planes in person makes the history real. We want to link our veterans to today’s children, ensuring the sacrifices and innovations of wartime aviation are not forgotten.”
That was a vision that the warbird pilots resonated with. They knew their aircraft were part of something larger — sparking the imagination of young families while rekindling the memories of our veterans. Local veteran Arild Hasburg spoke with one of the pilots about his time in the Navy while unbeknownst to him, a young boy stood listening as he inspected the T-34 Mentor. In that moment, with a warbird bridging the gap, it was clear why these air shows matter.
Christina Davies and her family call KOEO their home airport, where they fly a Piper Cherokee Six and spend much of their time immersed in aviation. All six members of the family are involved in the Wheels & Wings Air Show: her husband serves as air show director, their two oldest work the flightline, and the youngest two help at the hot dog stand — with every member of the family enthusiastic about sharing warbird knowledge with visitors. Christina spends the show day moving between her family, volunteers, participants, and guests to ensure everyone experiences the thrill and history of aviation firsthand. Her favorite warbird is the B-25, though she admits the L-1 is a close second.
Special mention to my article technical advisor Evan Davies, a 13-year-old aeronautical expert, flightline marshaller, and aspiring pilot.