Enjoy Some High-Flying Fun at Wings Over Houston

Are you ready to view some vintage military planes and expert flying? If you are, you may be interested in attending Wings Over Houston on October 18 and 19. Wings Over Houston is known for having a plethora of military aircraft on display, especially those from World War II (WWII). This amazing airshow is hosted by the Commemorative Air Force’s Tora! Tora! Tora!, the Houston Wing and the Gulf Coast Wing, and sponsored by numerous businesses, including Walmart, Texas Bay, United, BMW, and more. Let’s take a look at all the fun adventures you can have at Wings Over Houston in 2025.

Who Founded Wings Over Houston, and When Was the First Airshow?

The Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) Houston Wing founded Wings Over Houston. The CAF is a nonprofit that focuses on collecting, restoring, and flying historic airplanes, especially military aircraft. They currently have a collection of more than 180 aircraft, and they hosted their first Wings Over Houston Airshow in 1985. This year marks their 41st year.

Where Is Wings Over Houston, and What Are the Hours?

Wings Over Houston is held at Ellington Airport in Houston, TX. The event will be held from 8 AM to 5 PM on October 18 and 19. It’s important to note that there will be a limited tailgate show on Friday afternoon that offers featured flying.

What Is the Airshow Schedule?

If you plan to attend on Friday, October 17th, you’ll be pleased to know that the gates will open at 2 PM and close at 6 PM. The feature flight starts at 3 PM.

On Saturday and Sunday, the gates will open at 8 AM, and the feature flying will start at 10:30 AM. It’s important to note that the Warbirds ramp will close Saturday and Sunday at 11:30 AM so that the pilots can get ready for their performances. The Thunderbirds will perform at 3 PM, and the flying ends at 4:15 PM. If you plan to attend, it’s essential to be at the airshow before 3 PM. No new guests will be allowed inside after 3 PM.

Who’s Performing at Wings Over Houston?

Many excellent and skilled pilots and aerobatic groups will be performing at Wings Over Houston. Featured performers and exhibits include the USAF Thunderbirds, the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, the B-25 Mitchell “Doolittle Raiders” edition from Lone Star Flight Museum, a TBM-3E Avenger, a North American T-6 Texan, the RE/MAX Skydiving Team, a demonstration from the US Coast Guard Air Station in Houston, and a performance by Tora Tora Tora.

RE/MAX Skydiving Team

The RE/MAX Skydiving Team has more than 100 years of combined experience between them, and they will be the opening act of Wings Over Houston in 2025. The four jumpers have completed more than 15,000 jumps, and on Saturday and Sunday, they will jump at 4,500 feet. As they perform their stunts, they will reach speeds of up to 120 mph before deploying their chutes and landing safely.

USAF Thunderbirds

The USAF Thunderbirds are known for their precision flying and spectacular aerial maneuvers that inspire people across the globe, and this year, they’ll be performing in their F-16s at Wings Over Houston. The Thunderbirds will be flying on Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM.

Tora Tora Tora

Tora Tora Tora is a historic flying team whose origins go back more than 50 years. This team of fearless pilots, aviation professionals, and experienced pyrotechnicians travels to airshows around the United States, reenacting the battle at Pearl Harbor and teaching the guests about those events. This year, they’re bringing their educational information and famous flying to Wings Over Houston.

What Aircraft Will Be on Display at the 2025 Wings Over Houston?

Airshow patrons will be able to see many vintage and military aircraft at the Wings Over Houston Airshow, including a C-5M Super Galaxy, C-17 Globemaster III, B-29 Superfortress “FIFI,” A-26 “Night Mission,” and a T-6A Texan II, among many other vintage aircraft.

C-5M Super Galaxy

The C-5M Super Galaxy is a super aircraft. It’s the US Air Force’s largest aircraft. It is used to transport military personnel and equipment across the globe. This massive aircraft is equipped with four General Electric CF6-80C2-L1F (F-138) engines. It can transport 280,000 pounds of cargo, which is large enough to carry the fuselage of a C-130 Hercules. To make loading and unloading easy, the C-5M Super Galaxy’s landing gear has the ability to lower the aircraft to the ground. At that point, ramps can be deployed from the tail and nose to allow for simultaneous offloading and loading.

C-17 Globemaster III

The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest cargo carrier in the US Air Force’s fleet. This aircraft is designed to have a 92 percent success rate for all missions. It needs an impressively low 20 maintenance man-hours per flight hour. By contrast, the C-130 Hercules needs about 22 maintenance man-hours per hour of flight, and the C-5 Galaxy needs between 16 (for the Model B) and 81 (for a modernized aircraft) man-hours of maintenance per hour of flight. The C-17 Globemaster III is equipped with four Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines and can be manned by a crew of three, including a pilot, copilot, and loadmaster.

B-29 Superfortress “FIFI”

The B-29 Superfortress “FIFI” is a historic aircraft that was obtained by the Commemorative Air Force in the 1970s. FIFI was found in China Lake, CA, at the Navy Proving Ground. At the time, the aircraft was being used for missile target practice. The CAF acquired it and spent a few years restoring the aircraft before returning it to the air. It flew for more than 30 years before undergoing another four-year renovation that lasted from 2006 until 2010.

In its heyday, FIFI was a strategic bomber. It has a range of 4,100 miles and was originally equipped with 4 Wright R-3350-23 or Wright R-3350-57 radial engines. They had a maximum speed of 357 mph, a range of 3,700 miles, and a service ceiling of 33,600 feet.

A-26 “Night Mission”

The A-26 “Night Mission” was built in Long Beach, CA, at the Douglas Plant in 1943. It was the 328th A-26B to roll off the assembly line. It was originally equipped with 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27s, nicknamed “Double Wasp”. The aircraft has a range of 1,400 miles and a maximum speed of 359 mph. This plane was equipped with an all-purpose nose that could carry up to 8 .50 machine guns. The Night Mission could also carry up to 6,000 pounds of bombs and 10 5-inch rockets.

T-6A Texan II

The T-6A Texan II is used as a training aircraft for Navy, Marine, and Air Force pilots. It contains a single PT6A-68 turboprop engine and two seats, one behind the other. It has a maximum speed of 320 mph and a range of 900 nautical miles.

The Warbird Ramp

There will be a Warbird Ramp at the Wings Over Houston Airshow, where visitors can view and explore dozens of military airplanes from WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. It’s important to note that the ramp will be unavailable after 11:30 AM because they are flying in the airshow.

Have Fun at the Kids Carnival

There will be a Kids Carnival with blow-up slides, climbing walls, a Power Jumper, and various other fun challenges. Carnival games will also be available at the Kids Carnival.

If you’re ready to have a fun day or weekend watching historic warbirds take to the skies, you may enjoy Wings Over Houston. There will be plenty of things to do and amazing aerial stunts to watch. You could even grab a hot dog, hamburger, soda, or ice cream at one of the many vendors.