Synopsis of my AirVenture 2018 Journey

 Sunday morning July 22,2018, came early at the Butcher household. Corey and I finished packing the car and headed towards the Mecca of the Airplane Home-builder at Oshkosh,WI,  AirVenture 2018. It would be my first time experiencing the sights and sounds of the World’s largest airplane extravaganza.

Reaching Oshkosh we made contact with Replica Fighters Association President Tony Pileggi and made plans for the following week.

Monday morning July 23rd ,came into view and we headed off  from  our lodging at Appleton towards our day at EAA AirVenture 2018 to meet some of the guys at the Replica Fighters Association Head Quarters.

Of course Corey was a well known member of the club, being editor to the group Replica Fighters Association Magazine over many years and he introduced me to a few other club members present when we arrived.

 The front porch of  Headquarters actually became a forum in and of itself. We sat discussing airplanes, past and present projects, as well as Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter endeavors ,discussing how to keep the art of amateur builders engaged into the future.

One of the individuals Corey and I chatted with was RFA member Ernie Moreno. Our conversation included how challenges arise for the local EAA Chapters in coping with bureaucracy. As we sat conversing, one of Corey and my fellow local EAA 675 members,Dave McCurry stopped by to check to see if we made it up to AirVenture and let us know he and his wife were also in the area.

A notable draw for Home-builders during the week was that of the Bally Bomber, pictured below.

We at the Replica Fighters Association were privileged to have the one-third scale B-17 Bomber, parked right outside the door. Most of the time people were milling about with everyone trying to get interviews and pictures of builder Jack Bally and his support team. But I stood in awe at the one part of the day when all was quiet as if the Bomber had been put to bed for the night.

More current news as of June 21,2020, the Aviation Community lost the man,Jack Bally who lived his dream and drive to build the extraordinary replica the Bally Bomber...

As the morning flew along on Monday, Corey and I went to take a look around one of the Marts to look into a new power plant for the Voisin 3/5 rebuild. We didn’t find one that would fit our criteria but certainly gained some valuable information.

In our walk to the Mart from Fighter Town we met up with a gentleman from Ames,IA that
Corey knows in association with being an A&P Mechanic ,Wayne Bausch that has done  work on a plane he flew for a friend. I found out what a small world we actually  have when I finally attend an AirVenture.  During our brief stop this F- 15 bomber kept popping up over us so I dropped my camera bag ,readying my camera to snap pictures as I listened for the burst of the jet engine, then it would  come into sight .

There were always multiple types of aerial activities going on perpetually over the AirVenture grounds so it was hard for me to put  my camera down. 

One of the most notable among the variety of aircraft  aloft was  The B-29 Boeing Superfortress called "Doc" ; it was an exhilirating moment when I was able to catch him floating overhead.

  Since I’d not had a chance to see the  afternoon Airshow we headed off from RFA Headquarters to the EAA Wearhouse to do some shopping for T-shirts. We needed to add to our wardrobe to commemorate our week and then went over to the airstrip sideline  to get a good place to sit .

We spent the afternoon watching planes of all makes and models zipping by in front of us. Our heads followed the numerous loops above. plus so many other things happening closer to us on the ground.

With the end of the Airshow we headed back to our lodging to cool off. Time to get ready for the rest of the week

Please come back to see in what direction our days took us!

Until then have a great day!

A Visit To The Collins WI Marsh Wildlife Area

As I ponder about events I've experienced, documented in my picture gallery, it is without a doubt time to start speaking about what went on during those days. In a couple of weeks it's almost two years since my husband Corey and I had the opportunity to visit Wisconsin during AirVenture 2018.


I'd like to revisit Thursday, July 26,2018, when a drive through the countryside took us from Appleton through many little towns to arrive at a destination once visited by Corey back in July 2016 with some friends.

We drove by the Neustadter Nature Center sign and looked up the information about the area. If you click on Neustadter above you'll be treated to an Osprey Cam...So much Marsh acreage brings varied wildlife to be observed in many different ways. If you are a kayaker, they are available to be rented at the Nature Center, there are trails for Hikers and an Observation Tower to oversee the surrounding territory.

 Our decision not to go into the Collins,WI Wildlife area  and Marsh took us instead by the Neustadter Nature Center headed in the direction of Manitowoc. Collins Marsh is a 4,200 acre state wildlife area located just 20 minutes west of Manitowoc.

On this road, one of the first things we saw was a retired Fire Observation Tower for this Fire District.The Observation Tower is  110 feet tall open to the public free of charge. The top of the tower allows visitors a beautiful vista of the surrounding countryside. An Osprey couple have decided to make the top of the tower a nesting spot to raise a family this season.

I've seen Fire Observation Towers in Colorado,  South Dakota and now I can add to that list, Collins,Wisconsin.

The new arrivals finding their landing spot within the larger flock

I'd been told by Corey that the Sandhill Cranes might be visible to us in this area since the entourage in 2016 had caught a few on camera during their trip. 

July26,2018 was the first time I was witness to these large long legged birds...I was excited to see these Sandhill Cranes come flying in , making a long turn to come back onto the field where there was a larger flock of birds already interacting with each other on the ground.

Members of the flock

I was definitely in awe of the scene that lay before us here in Wisconsin- being made aware long ago about the migration of the cranes through the Platte River Region in Central Nebraska from February into April each year. It has now become a very popularly organized tourist industry for that State.

After seeing such a large group of cranes together I was on the lookout in every field we passsed along our travel route that day. I did see single couples once in awhile but you had to look fast since highway travelers don't have much patience with drivers not maintaining the speed limit.

The next post will be of our stop in Manitowoc...

Until then have a Great Day!