show report Warbirds Take Flight (Labor Day Weekend 2012)

EKA_Wrecker · September 5, 2012

Hi,

I thought you warbird fans would enjoy some pics from over here in the U.S. I volunteer at a local Air Museum and we have two big weekends a year (Memorial Day and Labor Day) where most or all of the museum's aircraft take flight and several visiting aircraft participate as well. This year the Collings Foundation visited with their B-24 "Witchcraft", B-17 "Nine-O-Nine", and as a stand-in for the ME-262 having maintenance issues they sent down their A-1D Skyraider which was just as awesome to see and experience. Also a rare sight was their visiting early model P-51C with dual seats & controls.

What makes this museum unique is that it is based at Republic airport where DeSeversky, Fairchild, Ranger Engines, Republic Aviation (and even Grumman for a couple of its early years) designed and built some iconic aircraft such as: P-47 Thunderbolt, F-105 Thunderchief, A-10 Warthog etc. Sadly most of the factory buildings have been torn down about 15yrs. ago but three original 1920s-30s hangars still remain along with the original control tower. Today it's a very busy regional general aviation airport and in NY state only JFK and LaGuardia are busier. Most museums display static aircraft. This one has flying displays allowing pretty close access to visitors. The only aircraft that doesn't fly yet is the PBY Catalina that's getting its wing re-done due to decades of corrosion from the "wet-wing" tanks. Visitors can climb the old control tower for a great view. Flights can be taken on the Waco biplane, AT6, or C-47 "D-Day experience flight."

Recently we've been acquiring more land based vehicles like wheeled and tracked armor & artillery etc. so I along with several others volunteer to operate the many pieces in convoy on the ramp in between flight ops to entertain the crowd. The Museum is made up of all volunteers so its an impressive feat to undertake these special events. The land based operational displays are able to attend events and activities outside the Museum to help with education, awareness and advertisement etc.

Memorial Day weekend flight ops are even greater as the museum hosts visiting aircraft for a local air show down at Jones Beach. (I can post those in a seperate thread if you're interested)

Each aircraft has its own unique history, if you have any questions feel free to ask. Not shown or flying this weekend was the TBM-Avenger, P-51D, and F4U-Corsair. Flown but not shown (I forgot to take pics) were the B-17, L-39 Czech jet, the AT6 texans, Waco biplane, and C-47. Enjoy the pics!

Overall view of activity:

Early Morning Preps:

Fixing the Skyraider's oil line (I think it was a stuck bypass check valve which blew a line)

Witchcraft sitting pretty:

The new Oshkosh rescue truck out for a spin:

The B-25 making a pass, taxiing in and filling up on liquid dinosaur:

The visiting P-51C "Betty Jane":

The skyraider taxiing out for its run-up followed by the rest for some formation passes:

Moving the F-105 and Prowler outside:

Edited September 5, 2012 by EKA_Wrecker

Enigma · September 6, 2012

Wow, some stunnig airplanes!

Must be great to volunteer for a museum like that.

Mor pics if you have them please!

Tony B · September 6, 2012

You lucky *******! That must have some event.

berna2vm · September 6, 2012

Wow. Most of my favourite aeroplanes in one show. This must be one of the best shows ever, to my way of thinking. Just needs a B26 Marauder....

EKA_Wrecker · September 7, 2012

Hi,

Your welcome glad you enjoyed. I get a chill everytime the B-25 is on the brakes with the throttle up ready to roll. It reminds me of the Doolittle Raid. Yes volunteering there gets you a spot extra close to the action. It's actually a pretty small museum, space is at a premium. Its always a balance between aircraft, static displays, ground vehicles etc. Most displays are mounted on casters or wheels so room can be made. We are always shifting things from different hangars and storage. We're not allowed to have "air-shows" at the museum or airport so fast and low passes, formation flights, and banks and turns are the order of the day to keep the FAA happy. Its a good balance due to the busy nature of the airport. The tower controllers do a pretty good job of keeping things moving.

Here are some pics from the beginning of the summer. The flight line and ramps get very crowded with visiting aircraft that are participating in the Jones Beach Airshow. The big performer of the show (they alternate each year) is either the U.S. Navy Blue Angels with their F-18s, and C-130 or the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds with their F-16s. Other active-duty aircraft demonstration teams also take part. Even the F-22 came for a visit. This year the Canadian Snow Birds Demo Team came down with their small (but very loud, haha) trainers. I've never seen such close formation flying before. They even landed in three plane groups, echelon formation. The group of AT6 Texans you see below are based right at Republic and are known as the Sky-typers. The sound of all those two bladed props swirling through the air is great.

Extra special this year was the arrival of the only flying Curtiss SB2C Helldiver flown from the Confederate Air Force in Texas. Its only a little smaller than the Grumman Avenger.

Thursday early morning prep and local TV News shoot:

Friday, weather inhibiting air show rehearsals, ferrying the M936 over and the Blue Angels across the field:

Snow birds (all 10or 11 of em') taxiing out for Saturday morning practice, Yankee Lady B-17:

Blue Angles backup C-130 and Helldiver:

Sky-Typers and Zero replica from movie Tora-Tora-Tora being pushed in for the night:

Some flying at dusk makes for some great pics: I'll post more pics from this event next week

Edited September 7, 2012 by EKA_Wrecker

mike65 · September 7, 2012

Great looking event there, thanks for sharing.

Just one thing the Blue Angels use the F18 Hornet

The Thunderbirds use the F16 Fighting Falcon

Mike

shane.c · September 8, 2012

Brill photos, looks like a good time,

EKA_Wrecker · September 10, 2012

Hi,

Glad you enjoyed.

mike65 said: "...Just one thing the Blue Angels use the F18 Hornet The Thunderbirds use the F16 Fighting Falcon."

Maybe you just skimmed over the text in a hurry :nut: haha, re-read my previous post.

Sun comes out after morning rain, visiting Mustang and Helldiver crank up:

Helldiver stretching it's wings:

More flying; Zero, Corsair/F18 formation pass, and alien spaceship (F-22) If you've never seen an F-22 demonstration flight in person its quite a sight. Its thrust vectoring allows it to do things not normal to other fighters:

Snowbirds, prepping L-39

Helldiver & P-40:

Pzkpfw-e · September 10, 2012

Must be a spare Hercules for the Blue Angels, they usually have "Fat Albert"

EKA_Wrecker · September 10, 2012

You are correct Sir!

I incorrectly labeled the C-130 in my previous post as the backup for fat albert. That C-130 came from the NYANG 106th Rescue Wing based out east in Westhampton. They are part of a water rescue demonstration down at the beach during the airshow.

Fat Albert was down for maintenance so the backup Hercules was used. They certainly put it through its paces. Before he comes in for a landing he puts it into a steep dive with full flaps and pulls up at the last second and glides it right in :eek::shocked: I somewhat captured this in the sequence of pics below.