During World War II, Olympia served as a training base for the P-38 Lightning, a popular fighter aircraft.
Though more than 10,000 Lightnings were built during the war, Olympic Airshow Director Teri Thorning said only about half a dozen flyable ones now remain. One of them, the 23 Skidoo, is set to fly in the 23rd annual Olympic Airshow this weekend at the Olympic Flight Museum.
“This is probably the first time the P-38 has returned to the Olympia airport in a public flying capacity,” she said. “It’s really extraordinary to host this plane.”
The P-38 will headline the airshow, which also will feature planes from the museum and performances from groups including the West Coast Ravens, Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car and Department of Natural Resources Aerial Firefighting. On-the-ground activities include food vendors, family activities and a beer garden.
The Cascade Warbirds, a group of military aviation enthusiasts, will discuss the details of their aircrafts and share other educational material alongside their performance this weekend.
“We are very excited to be presenting a strong variety of aircraft at this great venue,” said Warbirds Squadron Commander John Johnson.
Gates open at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, opening ceremonies begin at noon and performances start at about 12:30 p.m. One-day tickets cost $20 online and $25 at the door, and weekend passes cost $35. Children 6 and younger qualify for free admission.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the airshow’s cancellation in 2020 and 2021. Last year was a transition year for the event, Thorning said, but she expects more than 10,000 people will be in attendance this weekend.
“The show has normal to even greater footing for success,” she said.
The airshow is the Olympic Flight Museum’s primary fundraiser each year, she said. The money supports museum operations, including restoration efforts.
Tom Thorning, the airshow’s ramp coordinator and the museum’s volunteer coordinator, has been heading restoration projects for seven years. He worked on the near-complete rebuilding of the UH-1H Huey, a helicopter that will fly at this weekend’s event alongside the AH-1 Cobra.
Most recently, the team has been restoring a Bo 102 helicopter, a training helicopter unique because of its ground-based design. Tom Thorning said there were only 18 of them made.
“It’s a great representation of history,” he said. “Restoring keeps history alive.”
The most important part of restoration projects is that they keep the museum’s group of volunteers active, Tom Thorning said. The museum would not be able to operate without volunteer contributions, he added.
As a lifelong plane enthusiast, he said he is most excited about seeing the P-38 fly. He’s only seen them in ground displays so far.
“After 60 some years of going to air shows in various locations, this is the first time we get to see one fly,” he said. “It’s very exciting for me.”
• What: The 23rd annual Olympic airshow will take place on Father’s Day Weekend.
• Where: Olympia Regional Airport and the Olympia Flight Museum, 7637 Old Highway 99 SE, Tumwater.
• When: Doors open at 9 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18. Opening ceremonies will begin at noon and shows will run through 4:30 p.m.
• Tickets: One-day tickets are $20 online and $25 at the door. Weekend passes are $35. Free admission for those 6 and under.
• Info: https://olympicairshow.com/
• Also: The facility is wheelchair accessible.
