Historic Air Show in town

If you want to see warbirds, you need to make it to the Oshkosh air show. A friend convinced me to go as a spur-of-the-moment deal this year, and all I can say is "Wow!"

Growing up an Air Force brat, I've been to lots of air shows, and thought I'd seen lots of military planes. Never before have I seen anywhere near that many in the air at one time. Made the warbirds demonstration at the local AFB air show rather anti-climactic this year.

-Kevin

you get to see the wall of flame? how about the jet powered waco? the NASA buildings?

see you there next year?

I went this year. I missed the wall of flame, but saw the jet-powered Waco, Patty Wagstaff, both B-17's, Neil Armstrong, a ton of warbirds, NASA's U2, went through the museum, and took a ride on a Bell 47 helicopter from the Pioneer airport.

Ed NAR #75824 L1 AMA #695644 EAA #730009

Yep. Felt it, too.

Yep.

Yep.

Won't know that until the Wednesday before. That's when Rick asked this year.... 8-}

While there, I did pick up a nice pair of Snap-On snap-ring pliers for

54mm motors. 15% off, no shipping!

-Kevin

I've seen OshKosh on the tube several times........I keep repeating to myself, one day, I'll make it there one day. Until then the local show will have to do....... all the money raised goes toward the local warbird museum so it has some benefit no matter how large or small it is. They have two fairly rare birds in th e museum.....one is one of two copies of the ill fated Sea Dart, the Navy's try at a jet powered sea plane, and a Messerschmidtt Me262.......but that's about all the rarity they have to ballyhoo.......it's raining a ton so I guess tomorrow's the day to go.

Chuck

What are these??

The Jet powered WACO (rhymes with taco) is a 1937 aco UPF-7 biplane with a Learjet engine slung under the fuselage. Impressive vertical performance for a

70 year old tube and fabric biplane!!

The wall of fire is the "grande finale" of the mondo pyro display that they put on in conjunction with the warbirds display.

jet waco (below the pic of jet semi by itself)

there was a pyrotechni crew there that does a wall of flame. imagine a flame wall 3 stories high about 1/4 mile long. was used to "simulate" bomb drops done by the overflying warbirds.

I missed it this year but here is one from last years.

and that was an early shot. was about twice as high at end

Chuck Rudy>I believe that his generation is the third of our great generations.....the first won the Revolution, some lost everything >for a cause and died paupers..........the second fought and 600,000 died in our war of self destruction in the >1860's.........the third kept the world together at a time when it appeared an evil mob would rule Europe, his >generation made the difference.......his generation gave it all, many were lost, but the world was made safe again.

I totally agree with you.

: )

Have a great time and if you can, post what you see. The last one I attended had quite a few missle/rocket displays.

Randy

Based on your .Mac pictures, I assume you're in or near Pennsylvania. Can it be that you don't know about WW II Days at the Mid-Atlantic Air museum at Reading airport?

The weather is looking ominous, but I'll be taking the video camera, both sons (12 and 24) are taking their still cameras ......it's not just about the beauty of the birds, there's something about the sound, it can be heard no where else.......I hope to drop some great pics on the website if the weather does it 's part........we're crossing our fingers!

Chuck

I used to (when the P2V was current) live on County Line Road in Hatboro, and know Willow Grove NAS intimately - now I'm in Quakertown.

No Blues, and relatively few "current" aircraft; but WWII Weekend is spectacular for historical aircraft. In addition to the aircraft you'll see armor, battle re-enactments (with air support) and Andrews Sisters look-alikes. Not just B-17's but formations of 'em. I know a guy who owns an AT-6, and was able to sit on the flight line while the bombers went past, with their wingtips passing over my head.

Hopefully everyone will forgive including an image; just an example of what you might see...

Go to the web site, and put June 4-6, 2004 on your calendar.

-- Scott Schuckert

I missed the beginning of the thread - you're talking about Willow Grove? That PARTICULAR 262 is more than "usually unusual" - it's a two seater! If I recall correctly, there MAY be one other, in Germany.

It was also used as the template for the NEW ME-262's currently under production. See:

It was lent to the Stormbird project for analysis; in return they restored it rather nicely before returning it. When I was a kid, the plane was on outdoor display with a rather hideous paint job, and had a crude mockup of an early radar antenna on the nose.

-- Scott Schuckert

If you dig into the web page, you'll see there are two unsold airframes, and the price (without engines and avionics) is $2M. make sure it a BIG lottery...