MANITOWOC (NBC 26) — T-34 military planes from the 1950s have made the Manitowoc County Airport their summer training ground for the past 15 years, bringing together pilots and aviation enthusiasts.
Dozens of pilots gather annually to train, log flight hours, review protocols, and maintain aviation traditions as they prepare for the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh.
"I can't think of a better place to come and do this," said Gwen Linde, a retired Air Force pilot.
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The pilots fly in tight formations, transforming the skies above Manitowoc into an aerial showcase. Their precision maneuvers serve as preparation for their upcoming performance.
"We are just fine-tuning our skills here to get ready for the big arrival show at the big Oshkosh air show. We do the opening, kind of opening act as you could say," Linde said.
The training sessions have become educational opportunities for students, children, and aspiring mechanics who get to observe the aircraft up close.
"It's a hook, it gets kids involved in that. They get to see the aircraft and they get to see the fun stuff they can do with it," said James Zuege, Chapter President of EAA Chapter 383.
For 15-year-old Ava Guerin, a sophomore at Valders High School, the fascination with aviation began years ago when her father brought her to the airshow.
"Watching the air show and stuff made me, I don't know, like just loved it from the day it started. And then finally I got old enough to get up in the air and start practicing and it's kind of what I've been doing," Guerin said.
The experience continues to draw pilots back year after year, including father-son duo JD DeBoskey, a captain with American Airlines, and his wingman son Drew DeBoskey.
"Every time you fly it's kind of a new experience and you learn new things, you get to debrief things and talk about things that occurred during the flight and so that's kind of one of the reasons we come back is to enjoy it again and again and again," JD DeBoskey said.
The crew will continue practicing at the Manitowoc County Airport until they head to EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh on Monday.
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