70th Anniversary Airshow
Charleston’s Yeager Airport and the West Virginia Air National Guard's 130th Airlift Wing will celebrate their 70th anniversary with an air show Sept. 30-Oct. 1, featuring flying demonstrations, aircraft displays and tours, and rides aboard World War II-era aircraft. The air show will include several examples of aircraft associated with the airport during its early years, including a Curtiss C-46 Commando transport plane — the first aircraft assigned to the West Virginia Air Guard’s 130th Airlift Wing — and an American Airlines DC-3, the first commercial aircraft to operate at Kanawha Airport during its 1947 debut. A World War II-era P-51 fighter will be part of a “Rise Above” traveling exhibit detailing the history of the Tuskegee Airmen, who formed the first two squadrons of black fighter pilots given the opportunity to serve in the U.S. military and did so with distinction during World War II. Other aircraft committed to taking part in the air show, so far, include World War II-era B-17 Flying Fortress and B-25 Mitchell bombers and a C-47 Skytrain transport from the Yankee Air Museum. Also scheduled are a World War I-era Curtiss JN-4 Jenny biplane, a Stinson L-5 “Flying Jeep” single-engine observation plane, a T-6 Texan training aircraft for fighter pilots and a World War II-era Grumman TMB Avenger torpedo bomber. Rides will be available aboard the B-17 and B-25 bombers for a fee. Rides can be booked at http://yankeeairmuseum.org/fly/ Entry to the air show will be free, with parking available on the airfield from an entry gate at the general aviation area. Overflow parking will be available in Yeager Airport’s long-term parking garages. Buses will shuttle air show attendees from the parking areas to the entry gate. Food and beverages will be available from vendors.