Inside Sonoma

Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No…it’s a classic warbird, flying right over the tarmac during the “Wings Over Wine Country” show at the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport.

This year’s event, slated for Aug. 21-22, is sure to draw a crowd, with the largest and most impressive lineup of classic planes ever. Aircraft lovers will swoon for the U.S. Air Force F-15E “Strike Eagle” demonstration team, the U.S. Nave F/A-18F “Hornet” demonstration team, and the C-17 Globemaster static display and aerial demonstration.

There’ll also be an Air Force U-2 flyby and an Air Force T-38 formation flyby, as well as Bill Cornick, Spencer Suderman, and a host of other trick pilots performing solo acrobatics in a variety of different types of aircraft.

As if all of these highlights weren’t enough to get blood pumping, Wings Over Wine Country also will feature five P-40 “Warhawks” and many other World War II-era warbirds.

It will be, quite simply, a plane fan’s fantasy.

The event, organized by the Pacific Coast Air Museum and sponsored by a number of prominent Santa Rosa businesses, also is great for families, with a classic car show, arts and crafts activities for kids and a host of static planes available for “climb-aboards.”

Gates open both days at 9:00 a.m. for pre-show activities, including radio controlled model aircraft demonstrations. The main Air Show events kick off at 11:00 a.m., and usually last until 4 or 5 p.m., depending on how many planes are scheduled to fly. For discounted advance tickets, swing by the Museum or Sonoma County Round Table Pizza locations.

For more information about the air show, visit www.WingsOverWineCountry.org.