With a history that stretches back more than 60 years, this aviation spectacular now attracts over half a million aircraft enthusiasts, along with some 10,000 planes, helicopters and experimental aircraft of all eras. Gizmag joined the multitudes on the shores of Lake Winnebago for EAA AirVenture 2014 ? here's our look at the highlights.

Having grown up building models of P51 Mustangs, P38 Lightnings, B25 bombers and most anything WWII related, to be standing in a field surrounded by aircraft of this ilk was nothing short of a surreal. That my Dad flew Harvard's in training during WWII out of Moose Jaw only added to exhilaration of seeing roughly a dozen fly in formation around the airfield.

Throw in some modern luxury like the new Honda Jet, a smattering of experimental DIY planes, cobbled together Breezy's, conceptual gyrocopters, a legendary 50 year old NASA research jet, one or two half million dollar gliders and cutting edge designs like the amphibious ICON A5 and I was in the middle of an aviation-themed religious experience.