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Out with the old and in with the new.

The City of Wilson showcased its new minor league baseball team on Friday. The Wilson Warbirds will replace the Carolina Mudcats as the Milwaukee Brewers’ Class 1-A affiliate. A presentation of the new team was made at the site of the new ballpark that will be built.

Below is a press release from the Wilson Warbirds about Friday’s event.

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MILWAUKEE – Wilson’s new Class A affiliated Minor League Baseball Team, the Wilson Warbirds, roared to life this afternoon as vintage 1940s military aircraft ushered in a grand celebration and a new era of professional baseball for the city of Wilson and the surrounding region.

In Classic Americana fashion, the Wilson Warbirds name, logos and uniforms were all unveiled this afternoon at a community ceremony at the Wilson Industrial Air Center, which began with a low pass and fly-in of classic military planes. The Wilson Warbirds will begin play in 2026 as an affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Warbirds – a reference to vintage military aircraft that continue flying long after their service days – serve as a patriotic tribute to American history and military might. The Warbirds name carries a special connection to the city of Wilson and Wilson County, starting with native son Vollis Simpson, a WWII pilot-turned-artist. Simpson designed the iconic Whirligig sculptures – several stories tall and powered by the wind – which tower in a park behind what will become left field in the new Wilson downtown stadium.

Simpson’s first Whirligig was created during his service years, built to serve as a washing machine for troops and created out of spare parts from a WWII bomber.

The city of Wilson has special ties to WWII military aviation, and the location of today’s unveiling was no accident. The Wilson Industrial Air Center was developed during WWII for the purpose of training naval aviators on the T-6 Texan Trainer.

Warbird restoration is a reverential process that parallels the active revitalization of Historic Downtown Wilson and echoes a commitment to preserving cultural legacy while embracing innovation. Designed to symbolize historical significance and unmatched speed, the logo celebrates community passions for baseball, aviation, and Americana.

Three WWII-era Warbirds passed over the airfield and after landing, served as the backdrop for the unveiling event. One of the Warbirds on hand, in fact, was a T-6 Texan Trainer, the same aircraft that was a fixed presence at the Air Center during the 1940s.

To mark the occasion and in a commitment to the community, the Brewers today also announced a $10,000 donation to the Wilson Police Athletic/Activities League.