Whats the classifacation of a warbird?

[masmith]

Is it 1939-1945, or any aircraft that has seen combat?

[C]

Generally it seems to encompass any ex military (combat) type, although it's more generally used on types that were used during or after WWII (you don't hear of many pre 1939 types being referred to as "warbirds" very much).

[HawkerTempest5]

My take on Warbird is a piston engine combat aircraft from any historical period. Anything you would find at Flying Legends.

[Drake_TigerClaw]

War Bird is a little hard to define since military aircraft include civilian planes repainted with military logos. I tend to think of a WarBird as being an armed combat aircraft, a plane built for war hence WarBird. Usually craft refered to as WarBirds tend to be from the first or second world war, probably because of the more romantic view of aviators from that era.

Wikipedia has one discription of the term here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warbird

[Tweek]

"Warbird is a term used to describe vintage military aircraft. Although the term originally implied piston driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet powered aircraft, that are no longer in military service."

That does make sense, as nowhere in the word 'warbird' does it suggest a specific type of aircraft, or time period.

[C]

"Warbird is a term used to describe vintage military aircraft. Although the term originally implied piston driven aircraft from the World War II era, it is now often extended to include all military aircraft, including jet powered aircraft, that are no longer in military service."

That does make sense, as nowhere in the word 'warbird' does it suggest a specific type of aircraft, or time period.

I'd pretty much agree with that, other than the caveat that the term is really only applied to aircraft of WWII vintage or younger...

"Great Warbirds" - that was a good airshow - anybody ever go to it (back in the days at West Malling - now a housing estate - and then Wroughton...)?

[HawkerTempest5]

"Great Warbirds" - that was a good airshow - anybody ever go to it (back in the days at West Malling - now a housing estate - and then Wroughton...)?

No, sadly I never did. A pal at work who went to most of them gave me all his programs a few years back however, but I'd sooner have been there myself.

[Ivan]

warbird must have been in military service
Yak-52 is a warbird (official primary trainer of the soviet airforce), whle the An-2 is not (even though it was operated by DOSAAF)

[Hagar]

warbird must have been in military service
Yak-52 is a warbird (official primary trainer of the soviet airforce), whle the An-2 is not (even though it was operated by DOSAAF)

I wouldn't consider the Yak 52 or any primary trainer a warbird. That Wikipedia description seems about right to me.

PS. The Harvard (AT-6, SNJ, whatever) is the only trainer I can think of in the warbird category.

[Airshow_lover]

I think its the same kind of question as:

"When does junk become antique?"

or:

"When does something old become 'vintage'?"

[Drake_TigerClaw]

I think its the same kind of question as:

"When does junk become antique?"

or:

"When does something old become 'vintage'?"

Well thats easy to answer, it becomes antique or vintage as soon as someone will pay more for it than it's worth.

[Airshow_lover]

Well thats easy to answer, it becomes antique or vintage as soon as someone will pay more for it than it's worth.

Then there's the answer