I put this P-51 Mustang first, in memory of the pilot killed crashing it the day after I took this photo.

P-51s are extraordinarily dangerous beasts, but probably the single most beloved airplane among US pilots. Unfortunately, we're running out of veterans who actually flew them in WW II. Some day, we'll be out of P-51s too.

This B-25 Mitchell bomber was in amazing condition.

This is an F-4E Phantom II. I flew one of these back in 1982, while they were still front line fighters. Who knows, maybe it was even this airplane.

I forget exactly what type of airplane this was. You see a lot of aircraft at Oshkosh that are finished and polished beyond any reaonable, practical state.

This Beech Staggerwing was fantastically beautiful.

There was a bit of a trimotor theme at the show this year. This Dornier DA20 was pretty impressive.

This Junkers is one of the few still flying. It was the main cargo plane of the Luftwaffe during WW II.

There were many Ford Trimotors at the show this year. I only posted pictures of this one, because Carol and I took a flight in it. The pilots taxi with their windows open a lot.

The Ford Trimotor was the first successful purpose-built airliner. It's quite a different experience than today's jumbos. Since it's not pressurized, the windows seem gigantic.

Ok, so it's "romantic" to fly in an 80 year-old airliner, but these two got a little out of hand. I was afraid they were going to have their clothes off at any moment.

This shot gives you some idea how different it seems in one of these. Very cool, although I doubt I'd want to do the Reagan-DFW run in one.

Here's Steve Fossett meeting his fans after landing in the Global Flyer. He's a true legend, having set more international flying and sailing records than anyone else.

Sir Richard Branson and Steve Fossett being interviewed by the press. They'd just announced the Virgin Galactic space tourism business.

General Olds was my big hero when I was growing up. I had an aviation encyclopedia set when I was a kid and under "fighter pilot," guess who's picture they have?

Dan Wheldon won the Indy 500 this year, and clinched the IndyCar championship a few weeks ago. I asked him if he planned to go to Formula 1, but he wouldn't tell me.

This was the first public demonstration flight of the second prototype Eclipse. A few weeks ago, an inattentive pilot landed this thing with the gear up. Oops.

This was the first public demo flight of the prototype HondaJet as well. Look at how the engines are mounted on pylons above the wing.

This is the HondaJet in flight. Honda has obviously put an enormous amount of work into the aerodynamics here. Look at the way the engine pylons sweep the air around the tail.

The Starship fleet was retired by Beech a few years ago. But somehow, Burt Rutan is still using this one as a chase plane.

Here's Steve Fossett approaching the field in the Global Flyer. This was the only public demo flight it's ever made.

Steve flew this thing around the world non-stop, unrefueled, solo. Of course, it was a Rutan design.

Steve removed the main hatch while he taxied in. Look at how tiny the plane really is. It can carry much more weight in fuel than it weighs empty.

Everyone thought that Fossett was flying it to the Smithsonian, but he anounced that his team will try to set a few more records before retiring it.

I looked the Global Flyer over pretty carefully. I have never seen a cleaner airframe. There is not a single ripple anywhere.

And the one and only public demo of Spaceship One, winner of the Ansari X Prize, and only private aircraft to ever carry a man into space.

Spaceship One is the little piece, carried here by the White Knight mother ship. Of course, both Rutan designs.

Rutan really likes round windows these days.

This gives you a good view of the carrying arrangement.

Check out the way the stars painted on the front and bottom have been burned off by the heat of re-entry

Look at the vortex generators taped to the tails of the White Knight. I suspect the rudders didn't have enough authority at full deflection, and these are supposed to help keep the airflow attached. Maybe Burt Rutan is human after all.