What constitues a warbird?

[kscessnadriver]

+1. And if you want to wear a flight suit and helmet or leather jacket, patches, scarf and goggles, go for it. Why do we worry what others might think?

That's not my logic behind it at all. I've seen some of the "discussions" that occur on various forums after the RV types paint them up in combat paint. I figured that I'd just see what the consensus was to taking a model of airplane that was used by a military and making it appear to be one of those.

[Bill Greenwood]

I am not sure if the warbird division of EAA was the one to popularize the term. But when EAA with Walt Olrich,maybe Paul P., started warbirds it was first limited to combat model planes. The actual plane did not have to fly in combat, but the model did.
Then the definition was expanded to include other military planes, like trainers like T-6s, that the military used for anything.
So a Cessna 172, not matter what the paint job is NOT a warbird, but almost the same plane, a T-41 military trainer is.

The CAF started out with warbirds from WWII. As the members got older there was a demand for later model stuff so now it is almost anything goes, they consider T-28s, jets, and post WW II also.

I don't see anything wrong with painting an RV-8 like a P-51 or P-40 or Hurricane. The paint doesn't make it a warbird.

[FlyingRon]

I think the thing is further muddied by the difference between "eligible to win a warbird award" at Oshkosh (which I posted earlier) and what they will let park in the Warbird area. There clearly are a lot of Navions that park up there that are NOT L-17's (though it is near impossible to tell without chasing the serial number to see if it was sold to the military or a civilian customer).

[hydroguy2]

so would this F-86 Sabre count as a Warbird? It was freshly restored and on display at the Montana Aviation Conference this weekend. I think the colors are the South Dakota National Guard unit.

[Bill Greenwood]

Of course an F-86 is a warbird, and folks like Steve Hinton and Bob Hoover say how well it flies. If it only didn't smell like a diesel garbage truck and sound like a bearing running out of oil.
And it is near the last of the era when combat planes were also beautiful.

[hydroguy2]

I knew it qualified as a "real" warbird. I just needed a reason to post a picture. Can't wait to see it outside, should be fabulous in the sunshine.

[Rick Rademacher]

At every flyin with the Piet, I would be placed in the WWI section or next to the WWII aircraft. I wouldn't say anything as I liked the good parking spot. Now that I fly a J-3 Cub, I am still placed in the same spot, next to the warbirds. I am a happy camper!

[JangoFett724]

What's a warbird?

[billla]

This is a question that I'm in the middle of in my local squadron and elsewhere. To me the answer seems very simple: A warbird is a specific aircraft, not a type, that served with the military of any country.

As a genuine L-17 owner (Ryan L-17B 48-1007) and curator of WWW.L-17.ORG I have to admit to some frustration with this question specifically around L-17s. The list of L-17s is well-known and published, and I get about 5 queries/month about particular aircraft. I will apologize in advance for the toes I step on, but Navions don't belong on the warbird ramp if they're not L-17s, and shouldn't be represented as L-17s. The right answer for Navions on display is "This is a Navion in the colors and markings of an L-17 in service with the xxxxxxxx circa 19nn." A civilian Navion isn't an L-17 or a warbird any more than someone in WW II uniform at an event is really a WW II bomber pilot - or a veteran.

Painting an aircraft in military colors and markings honors those that served, and any opportunity to honor veterans is a privilege. I am completely supportive of military colors and markings on any aircraft - I publish the L-17 Military Paint and Marking Guide (http://www.l-17.org/Downloads/L-17%2...ide%20V1.0.pdf) that helps Navion owners get accurate military colors and markings on their aircraft if they so choose. But let's represent our aircraft as they are, not as we wished they were.

I wish EAA Warbirds would clarify their stance - it appears from discussions that any bird in military paint and markings is welcome on the Warbird ramp.

[Tom Downey]

This was used in the war effort, is it a war bird?