Warbird Pride at Leeward Air Ranch - Ocala Star Banner

"Flight of five, fly-by, break pass, 36." If you’re out flying and monitoring 122.9 and hear that or a similar phrase, spoken in commanding tones, you’re hearing the "lead" airplane announcing an arrival of aircraft in a formation flight of Leeward Air Ranch’s much-celebrated warbirds returning to the field.

This group could be returning from participating in an airshow, or over-flying a ceremony at the Ocala Veterans Park, performing the highly emotional "missing man" formation at a funeral, perhaps over the U. S. Veterans Cemetery in Bushnell, or maybe just coming in from a periodic refresher formation flight-training mission. Whatever the mission, the performance is professional and a delight to watch.The LAR Warbirds encompasses any of the following specially-trained pilots: Bob Dale, Anita de Villegas, Bill Dorris, Blaine Hoffman, Fred Johnson, Tim Kirby, Chris Kirchner, Gail Kirchner, Sam Lauff, Jimmy Leeward, Jim Lynch, Ernie Martinez, Jim McConnell, Ron Rex, Tony Smith, Dan Springer, Jerry Walbrun, Bob Wall, and David Wall. They fly an impressive collection of vintage military aircraft ranging from open-cockpit Stearmans, T-6’s and T-28’s, a P-51 Mustang, a Spitfire and a Buecher Jungmann on up to small jets.

In order to fly in formation, pilots must be diligent about training. To fly in an airshow under waivered airspace they must have what is called a formation card, earned through attending formation flying clinics sponsored by the Warbirds of America, a special segment of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).

The founder of the warbird movement, both with EAA and at Leeward, is LAR resident Jerry Walbrun. According to Walbrun, the warbird program began with the surplus market after World War II. It was a networking aid for pilots and restorers trying to maintain their aircraft and trying to find parts. The movement started in California; its primary growth was in the early 1960’s. He credits Walt Ohlrich as being the initial organizer. Walbrun had a P-51 Mustang in 1960, and started talking to other Mustang owners, whenever he could find them, hoping to share information, obtain parts, etc. He found that there were more Mustangs, as well as other warbirds, on the west coast, because they were coming out of Davis Monthan AFB in Phoenix. He recalled that there were flyers circulated about sales of these surplus military aircraft; those with the time, money, and talent to fix them up and fly them started the so-called warbird movement.  He began organizing the Mustang owners in 1963. He invited them to come to Rockford, IL, the initial home of the early EAA. He explained, "They became part of the west coast organization, the Warbirds of America. The idea was to fly old war airplanes. It was a very exclusive club because it was all about Mustangs. We could describe their similar problems by engine sounds. Walt Ohlrich had a semi-newsletter. He was gone six months on a navy cruise. While he was gone the Mustang pilots met with Paul Poberezny. We wanted to keep meeting and to get under the EAA umbrella, first in Rockford and then in Oshkosh. We started having meetings, electing officers. We allowed in Bearcats, P-38’s. Then in 1967 or ‘68 we allowed in T-6’s (the country cousin of the group). We expanded to any military aircraft in orld War II paint with retractable gear. That was until the ‘70’s. Then Poberezny wanted others in like Stearmen, T-28’s…any military aircraft." 

Not only was Walbrun a founder and a director of Warbirds of America, but he has held every office and has been active over the entire 37 years.  There are now 7,000 members of the group, and there are spin-off segments like the T-34 group, for example. In the mid-1980’s jets were brought in, then European jets, the next big step. The organization provides information, maintenance support, and an insurance program. Its focus is as a resource organization, but it is also a lobby group and accomplishes more through its sheer numbers than could individual airplane owners.

Back in 1979, when the Walbruns were living in New Jersey, he started something new in the airshow world. By then he was flying a T-6; he joined with three other T-6’s and formed the Six of Diamonds. They were the first multiple-ship act to perform for a crowd. Previously only single aerobatic acts flew their routines.

Walbrun’s been restoring and flying military aircraft all these years, so it was natural that when he and his wife, Marion, retired to Leeward Air Ranch he should get a warbird gang going here, too.  It seems safe to say that you can ask any of the warbird pilots to explain what their maneuvers and radio lingo mean if you see or hear something you don’t understand. That’s one of the beauties of living at the ranch.

For more information on Warbirds of America, contact Bill Fisher with EAA in Oshkosh, either at (800) 426-4800 or c/o EAA, PO Box 3086, Oshkosh, WI 54903.