Red Baron Squadron Grounded

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The Red Baron Squadron, a team of four vintage Stearman biplanes that has flown formation aerobatics at air shows for 28 years, will fly no more (PDF), the team’s sponsor, the Schwan Food Company, said this week. “The Red Baron Squadron has been an incredible asset to our company and we are very proud of its long, successful history,” said Bill McCormack, executive vice president. “The retail grocery industry has experienced considerable change over the past few years. And, as a result, we have decided to refocus our Red Baron marketing program and to discontinue the Red Baron Squadron.” The team flew at more than 2,000 air shows and gave rides to more than 80,000 passengers. They won the Art Scholl Award in 1995 and the Bill Barber Award in 1993.

Forty-two pilots have been members of the squadron. “We are very proud to have been a part of such a legendary program,” Jayson Wilson, director of flight operations and left wing pilot, said in a news release, speaking on behalf of the squadron’s pilots, technicians and administrative staff. “We can all say we were a part of something really special. The air show community and our fans have been great. We’ll miss all of them.”

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