Airplanes on Temporary Display in EAA Aviation Museum

Following a record-breaking EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2025, EAA is adding a replica aircraft from the pioneer era and a reproduction of a World War II jet fighter to the museum as part of a temporary display.

A replica Santos-Dumont Demoiselle, built by Club Aéro des Garrigues in France, has been transported overseas to Oshkosh to be displayed in the Pioneers of Flight section of the museum. The Demoiselle was originally set to be the centerpiece of the Pioneers of Flight display in the Vintage area at AirVenture 2025; however, shipping complications led to the aircraft arriving in Oshkosh after the conclusion of the event, making it technically the first arrival for AirVenture 2026. The Demoiselle is a lightweight monoplane designed by Alberto Santos-Dumont and features a fuselage built from bamboo. The original Demoiselle was built in 1907 and weighed less than 300 pounds.

The Military Aviation Museum’s Messerschmitt Me 262 reproduction arrived from Virginia and is now on a short temporary display in the Eagle Hangar. The aircraft was one of the featured performers during AirVenture 2025, having flown in multiple air shows throughout the week. The original Me 262 is known as the world’s first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft and was primarily flown by the Luftwaffe. The Me 262 helped revolutionize aerial combat by reaching speeds far greater than its piston-powered counterparts.

The Me 262 joins a collection of early jets as part of a temporary display that includes a de Havilland DH.100 Vampire, Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, Republic F-84 Thunderjet, North American F-86 Sabre, and a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15. The six early jets will remain on display together until mid-August.