Fred Johnsen, the force behind the Airailimages YouTube channel and General Aviation News Of Wings & Things columnist, captured this video at the 2026 Warbird Roundup, held the last weekend of August in Nampa, Idaho. The video captures the varied sights and sounds from the show, as well as the public debut of the restored F6F-3 Hellcat once owned by the president of Alaska Airlines.
“This beautiful Hellcat rebuilding effort by Vintage Airframes in nearby Caldwell, Idaho, adds one of the oldest Hellcats, a combat veteran, to the current flying roster,” Fred notes. “This Hellcat was previously flown by Bill Compton in Oregon, and before that by Charles Willis, then president of Alaska Airlines. Willis painted it in Alaska jetliner-style markings of white and gold, calling the Hellcat ‘Little Nugget.’ The Vintage Airframes restoration shop has returned this F6F-3 to its appearance as delivered from Grumman during World War II.”
This year’s Warbird Roundup included P-51 Mustangs (C, D, and H-models), a P-38, two P-40s, two P-47s, two B-25s, several T-6/SNJ Texans, plus drop-in appearances by Mark Peterson in his smoke-trailing A-37 jet, and passes by F-15Es from Mountain Home AFB, Fred adds.
Warbird Roundup is a key event in the Boise-area hosted by Warhawk Air Museum, and supported by warbird owners and pilots from around the western United States.
See Fred’s story on the show here.
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