Over 50 Vintage Planes Land in Punta Gorda This Weekend as Part of WarBird Weekend

Courtesy of  Florida Warbird's Website 

When I heard about Warbird Weekend in Punta Gorda, I wondered exactly what a warbird was.  A warbird, as I learned from Lynn Olzacki, wife of Jim "Zack" Olzacki, President of Local Warbird Squardron 24 and one of the organizers of WarBird Weekend is a vintage ex-military aircraft -- mostly World-War- II-era planes.   And this weekend over 50 of them with their pilots will be landing in Punta Gorda Airport as part of a "WarBird Weekend" that started 3 years ago as a golf event in Rotunda with some fly-overs.

Thanks to Mr. Olzacki what was a fly-over has now blossomed into a full-weekend event built around these vintage planes and benefitting the Wounded Warrior Program.  Three years ago Mr. Olzacki started organizing the static display at the Punta Gorda Airport in conjunction with the golf tournament fly-overs.  His initial small exhibit has steadily grown to this year's over 50 privately-owned ex-military aircraft.  

As was explained by Mrs. Olzacki, the planes will start arriving  Friday night, and do their fly-overs of the Rotunda golf-courses after taking off from Punta Gorda on Saturday and Sunday morning. ( So if you look to the skies early Saturday and Sunday,  don't think you've been mysteriously thrown back to the 1940s.)  The planes will then be part of the "static display" at the airport in the afternoon.  Mrs Olzacki pointed out that  the "meticulously maintained planes all have their original paint schemes."   Pilots and other knowledgeable guides will be available to discuss the aircraft during the display period from 12- 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10-3 p.m. on Sunday.

The  featured Warbirds include aircraft such as B-25, C-45, P-51 Mustang, Yak-9, PT-17, BT-13/15, T-6, T-28, T-34, O-2, L-17, L-39, CJ-6, Chipmunk, Bulldog.    Food and drinks will be available for purchase with vending by EAA Chapter 565.

Tickets are $8 per person or $15 for family (parents/children).  History of Flight (http://www.historyflight.com/) will be bringing  their B-25 Mitchell, T-6 Texan, and PT-17 Stearman which will be available for rides.  Cost of the rides are $325-$495. Visit their website to reserve a seat or call (941) 639-6187 for more information.