I’m Lain Wayman. I’m 26yrs old, and I grew up in Falcon, Colorado. I was lucky to grow up in a flying family; my grandfather was a Naval aviator, and my father was an air pilot. My passion for aviation and fascination with warbirds was ingrained in me from a young age. I can still remember my first flight in a small plane, sitting on my mother’s lap in the front seat of a Stampe SV-4 biplane. The hook was set!

I grew up trying to learn as much as I could about building, maintaining, and flying airplanes. I started getting some stick time” (I couldn’t reach the rudder pedals yet) in a J-3 Cub with my dad when I was six. I got my start in warbirds in 2010 when I began volunteering at the National Museum of World War II Aviat=on in Colorado Springs and became a crew member on a B-25 there.

In 2013 , I did my first solo in a Schweitzer 2-22 glider that my dad and I rebuilt together. After getting a few years older and working through my pilot ratings, I was building time in a Super Cub and Pawnee towing gliders. I eventually got my A&P license and started rebuilding and flying anything I could get my hands on.

I have been lucky to meet some wonderful people in aviation. Many have given me opportunities to restore and fly a variety of iconic airplanes, including the MH-1521 Broussard, Stearman, T-6, C-45, and DC-3.

In 2023, I spent some time in Alaska flying mostly turbine Otters and Beavers on skis. I currently volunteer with the Tunison Foundation as part of the team that maintains and flies their C-47 “Placid Lassie.” In June, I had the amazing opportunity to join the Tuni=on Foundation on the 24LT tour to Europe and back with four other DC-3s to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-day and the 75th anniversary of the Ber=in Airlift.

I currently make a living flying Single Engine Air Tankers in the western US and spend my free time restoring a Douglas DS and helping maintain and operate various warbirds around the country.