Rare P-63 Kingcobra to fly at Warbirds Over the Beach air show
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Virginia Beach skies will be alive with the sight of flying vintage aircraft for the Military Aviation Museum’s Annual Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show, held…
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Virginia Beach skies will be alive with the sight of flying vintage aircraft for the Military Aviation Museum’s Annual Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show, held Saturday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, May 21, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Military Aviation Museum in Pungo. The weekend boasts a real 1940s atmosphere with entertainers, re-enactor encampments, a military flea market, hangar dance and more!
Attendees of this year’s show will be in store for a rare treat, with a newly restored P-63 Kingcobra taking part in aerial displays both days. After over 17 years of restoration work, this rare airworthy P-63 joins the WOB lineup courtesy of the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. Also gracing the skies of the rural Virginia Beach countryside will be the museum’s collection of World War II aircraft, like iconic American classics such as the P-51 Mustang and the Corsair, the British Spitfire and Hurricane, and German Messerschmidtt Bf-109.
Each day of the show will feature a variety of entertainers to include Theresa Eaman, a nationally known jazz artist, and the New York based America’s Sweethearts. A military flea market will offer aviation-themed treasures and local vendors will be ready to serve up some tasty cuisine. A hangar dance headlines Saturday evening–live music by the Mark Michielsen Big Band and a chicken or steak dinner, available at an additional cost.
For the full experience, guests can ride in an authentic World War II aircraft. The museum’s 1941 Boeing Stearman and 1989 Waco YMF-5 will be available for 15-minute and 30-minute rides. The Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force will be returning to this year’s air show, offering rides in their P-51 Mustang, "Red Nose," SBD-5 Dauntless, and B-25 “Miss Mitchell”. Rounding out the options for plane rides will be Bay Aviation, offering flights in their Fairchild PT-19. All rides are subject to weather conditions and prior reservations are strongly recommended. Rides may be booked by visiting www.VBAirshow.com.
Admission to the show on either Saturday or Sunday also offers access to the rest of the Military Aviation Museum historical exhibits, such as their WWI and German Cottbus hangars, as well as a control tower from the first American fighter base in England in 1942, reconstructed using actual bricks from the original tower that was in operation at RAF Goxhill, during WWII.
Tickets are available online for a discounted rate of $25 per adult single-day admission and $12 youth single-day admission, now through May 15. Beginning May 16, tickets will be sold at the full price of $30 per adult single-day admission and $15 per youth single-day admission. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 757-721-7767 or visit www.VBairshow.com.
About the Military Aviation Museum
A 501 ©(3) not-for-profit organization, the Military Aviation Museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of First and Second World War, and Korean War era fighters, bombers and trainers. Each airframe has undergone painstaking restoration, using original components, whenever possible. Truly a living museum, aircraft are in restoration at facilities around the world. Besides the main Museum, the Virginia Beach complex features additional structures, including the 1934 Luftwaffe Hangar, originally from Cottbus, Germany, which now serves to house the Museum’s collection of WWII-vintage German aircraft. Additional hangar spaces include the WWI Hangar, in which resides the Museum’s genuine 1918 Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny”, besides other aircraft of the period. Visit MilitaryAviationMuseum.org for more information or call 757-721-7767.
About the Commemorative Air Force Dixie Wing
The Commemorative Air Force is a non-profit organization dedicated to flying and restoring World War II aircraft. Based in Dallas, Texas, the organization has more than 13,000 members and operates a fleet of more than 166 aircraft. These aircraft compose the world’s largest flying museum, and are operated for the education of present and future generations For more information, visit www.commemorativeairforce.org.
