Aircraft of the Show

Here are a just a few of the aircraft that have been a part of the Leesburg Airshow over the years.  Lineup will differ from year to year. 

Douglas C-5 Skymaster - "Spirit of Freedom" 

The "Spirit of Freedom" is a living, breathing, flying exhibit commemorating the great Berlin Airlift of 1948-49. A genuine USAF Veteran of the Airlift, the "Spirit" itself is an important artifact from the airlift. Filled with Artifacts, photographs, and other Airlift related items, the "Spirit's" role is to travel the world educating people on this subject.

 F/A-18F Super Hornet

The F/A-18F Super Hornet makes its Leesburg Airshow debut this year. This supersonic twin-engine, carrier-capable fighter jet comes to us from Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106), also known as the "Gladiators" out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach.  Pilot, Lieutenant Marty “Grouse” Wilson is a navy flight instructor and member of the Rhino Demonstration team.  He’s also a Northern Virginia native.  We are so pleased to welcome him back home.  

UH-1 "Huey" Helicopter

 The Liberty Warbirds, owners of the helicopter, are dedicated to educating the public about the history of the Huey helicopter in the Vietnam war.  Along the way, they are allowing veterans to reconnect with a part of their past.  Come out to the Leesburg Airshow and hear the story of Huey 823 firsthand.

 C-47B - Skytrain - "Luck of the Irish" (2022 &2023)

 This amazing plane, owned and restored by the Air Heritage Museum flew many combat missions over Europe during World War II including dropping supplies into the Battle of the Bulge and delivering airborne troops to the battlefield.  

Air North Douglas DC-3 "Yukon Sourdough" (2022 &2023)

This incredible plane has had many lives.  Originally flying for the US Air Force during World War II, the plane joined the Royal Canadian Air Force afterwards.  It went on to the private ownership of a mining company before ultimately serving as a passenger liner for Air North in the Yukon Territories of Canada.  After years of careful restoration this plane is back in the air. 

P51- Mustang

The North American P-51 Mustang was an American long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that entered service with Allied air forces in the middle years of World War II. The P-51 became one of the conflict’s most successful and recognizable aircraft. The P-51 flew most of its wartime missions as a bomber escort in raids over Germany, helping ensure Allied air superiority from early 1944. Once sold at surplus auction for $2,000, a restored P-51 easily exceeds $1 million in value today.

SNJ/T6 Texan 

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s. Designed by North American Aviation, the T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force. The USAAC designated it as the “AT-6” and the US Navy the “SNJ”. The T-6 was known as “the pilot maker” because if its role preparing pilots for combat.

Grumman TBF Avenger

The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air and naval services around the world. The Avenger entered U.S. service in 1942, and first saw action during the Battle of Midway. Despite the loss of five of the six Avengers on its combat debut, it survived in service to become one of the outstanding torpedo bombers of World War II. Greatly modified after the war, it remained in use until the 1960s.

Japanese “Kate” Bomber

The aircraft operated by Japanese Bomber, LLC is a 1943 SNJ-4 aircraft that has been modified to resemble the Nakajima “Kate” bomber. Kate is the plane’s Allied reporting name. Nakajima B5N was the standard carrier torpedo bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy for much of World War II.  Primarily a carrier-based aircraft, it was also occasionally used as a land-based bomber. The B5N carried a crew of three: pilot, navigator/bombardier/observer, and radio operator/gunner.