Any Guesses on What Ford Will Do at AirVenture This Year?

"Jcarr" (jcarr) 06/10/2015 at 15:21 • Filed to: Planelopnik, EAA, AirVenture, Ford Mustang

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For those of you who aren’t familiar, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ’s annual gathering/convention/airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The week-long event attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors and north of 10,000 aircraft each year.

Ford has been a major sponsor of the event for many years and for the last handful of years they have built a custom Mustang for the event. The cars have been auctioned off each year with the proceeds going to fund the EAA’s !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! youth aviation education program.

Below is a history of the Mustangs Ford has built and brought to the event as well as the winning bid amount from each year’s auction.

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SR-71 Mustang: Auctioned at EAA AirVenture 2010 for $375,000.

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Blue Angels Mustang: Auctioned at EAA AirVenture 2011 for $400,000.

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Red Tails Mustang: Auctioned at EAA AirVenture 2012 for $370,000.

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Thunderbirds Mustang: Auctioned at EAA AirVenture 2013 for $398,000.

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F-35 Mustang: Auctioned at EAA AirVenture 2014 for $200,000.

I have yet to see confirmation that Ford is even doing one this year. The 50% decline in winning bid amount from 2013 to 2014 may be an indication that the idea has run its course. I’m sure we’ll know sometime in the next month or so as we get closer to the opening day of AirVenture on July 20.

Assuming Ford continues the tradition, what theme do you think they’ll go with? I really have no idea. With the 70th anniversary of VJ day this summer they could do a naval theme. Or maybe they’ll do a B-29 theme since the second airworthy B-29, Doc, is !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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Lead image via Motor Authority

All other images via the author

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Jcarr 06/10/2015 at 15:25

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Was the F-25 one late to the event and way over budget?

For Sweden > Jcarr 06/10/2015 at 15:27

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Hopefully bring an airplane!

Jcarr > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 06/10/2015 at 15:27

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Probably over budget, but actually one year early .

Jcarr > For Sweden 06/10/2015 at 15:28

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They should probably just retool Willow Run and start cranking out Liberators again.

Ash78, voting early and often > Jcarr 06/10/2015 at 16:19

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To be fair, the F-35 version was uninspired and lacked the timelessness of the other liveries.

I had no idea AirVenture had gotten this big! I went 2 or 3 times in the late 80s and early 90s and there was no mainstream “crossover” awareness. Just tens of thousands of av-geeks in Wisconsin.

Jcarr > Ash78, voting early and often 06/10/2015 at 16:21

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Yeah, it’s really exploded. I’ve been going since ‘92 and it’s really amazing how much it’s grown since then. You should come back sometime.

WhiskeyGolf > Jcarr 06/10/2015 at 16:59

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2010 was the last year I went. I went a few years prior when they had a CobraJet on display, too.

Let’s just hope they have more aerial deliveries and fewer Mustang special editions!

Jcarr > WhiskeyGolf 06/10/2015 at 17:13

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I remember that. In 2005 they had the Shelby GR1 concept. That thing was awesome.

ttyymmnn > For Sweden 06/10/2015 at 22:33

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I’d go see that.