Willy's Jeep Rally

Butler County Warbirds Inc., a not for profit corporation, was formed for the purpose of acquiring and maintaining historic aircraft and establishing a series of mobile and permanent historical displays for use in educating the public. The museum is located at 2351 Wedekind Drive at the Middletown Regional Airport in a hangar built in 1940 that the Army Air Corp used during WWII. It was later used by the Aeronca Aircraft Company. Now it houses 1600 square feet of aviation and military artifacts in a climate controlled environment, in addition to aircraft that can be reserved for rides. One of these is a 1943 Fairchild PT-19. This aircraft served as a trainer at Parks Air College in East St. Louis, IL and has been restored and painted as it would have looked during its service at Parks Air College. An opportunity to experience flight in a historic WWII aircraft! Museum is open for display and aircraft rides on Saturdays and Sundays 10-5. Admission to museum is free, but donations are greatly appreciated. Aircraft rides are available for purchase. For reservations and additional information please contact Tim via email at tim@bcwarbirds.com or call 513-702-3062.

The Wright “B” Flyer is a flyable look-alike of the world’s first mass-produced airplane, manufactured in The Wright Company factory in Dayton from1910 to 1911. The look alike was built by a group of local aviation enthusiasts and the airplane is housed in a hangar that is similar to the Wright brothers’ 1910 hangar at Huffman Prairie Flying Field.

Among the attractions at this unique, 65-acre outdoor museum is the original 1905 Wright Flyer III, the world's first practical airplane. The Flyer III, housed in Wright Hall, was restored under the personal direction of Orville Wright. Wright Hall is flanked by the Wilbur and Orville Wright Wings and is connected to a replica of the bicycle shop in which the Wright brothers built their 1903 airplane. These buildings comprise the John W. Berry, Sr. Wright Brothers National Museum at Carillon Historical Park, a unit of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, managed by Dayton History.

Experience the Oakwood mansion that Orville Wright called home for nearly 35 years. The home of the man who invented flight and changed the world is available for educational tours. Tours are by reservation.

This building is one of only two original Wright brothers' buildings still standing at their original locations in the West Side neighborhood where Wilbur and Orville lived, worked and invented the airplane. The other is the nearby Hoover Block building (Site 1a). The building was saved from demolition by Aviation Trail, Inc. before it was acquired by the National Park Service after the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park was created in 1992. The Wright brothers occupied the building from 1895 to 1897, manufacturing bicycles on the first floor and operating a job printing business on the second floor. During this period, Wilbur and Orville also took their first steps on the road to inventing the airplane, their Flyer I, in 1903.

The world's largest military aviation museum features more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles from the beginnings of military flight to today's stealth technology. Thousands of personal artifacts, photographs and documents further highlight the people and events that comprise the Air Force storyline. Tour the 19 acres of indoor exhibit space and see noteworthy aircraft such as the only permanent public exhibit of a B-2 stealth bomber, and the B-17F Memphis Belle™, one of the most recognizable symbols of World War II, and board the space shuttle exhibit and four of nine presidential aircraft. While at the museum you can ride a flight simulator, enjoy a 3D movie, eat in one of the two cafés, and shop in the museum store. Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. Free admission and free parking.