08/07/2026
Three lucky car owners will take a free WWII warbird ride at the New River Valley Airport on Saturday August 15. As part of the Warbirds and Wheels event, the airport is hosting a “Cruise In” for vintage and antique cars starting at 10 am. Each car will receive a number when arriving and three numbers will be chosen at random at 12 noon. The owners of those three cars will receive a free warbird ride Saturday afternoon from the Capital Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.
The aircraft used for the flights will be a Stinson OY-1 which was in service with the US Marines in the Pacific during WWII. “This is a very rare aircraft, as it actually flew in combat in WWII,” said Pete Ballard, event organizer for the Capital Wing. “Our Stinson flew off the es**rt carrier White Plains and flew combat observation missions during the Battle of Saipan June 1944. The lucky raffle winners will be sitting in the same exact seat as Marine observers during combat,” he said.
Rides in the WWII Stinson can be purchased in advance for $195 at the Capital Wing website CapitalWingCAF.org and any flights not sold in advance can be purchased at the airport during the event. In case a raffle winner has already purchased a flight, their purchase will be refunded.
Rides are also available in a Piper Cherokee 180. Screaming overhead at the NRV Airport will be an Aero L-39 acrobatic jet performing four flybys, two on Saturday and two on Sunday.
All aircraft will appear subject to aircraft availability, weather, maintenance, and pilot availability.
