Michigan Airshow news....

[T Bone]

On Sat/Sun August 6th and 7th, the Yankee AIr Force will be presenting it's annual event, "Thunder Over Michigan (2005)" at Willow Run Airport (KYIP). Available to view and see fly will be LOTS of vintage warbirds, including (latest aircraft list) 8 B-17 bombers (I think that's a bit over half the examples left flying in the world!) 2 B-24 Liberators (I think the ONLY two left flying), 6 P-51 Mustangs, an ME109 and much, much more! See the latest list of aircraft attending here http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow/aircraft.htm

Or get the general information for the event here
http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow/


Or, you can browse the Yankee Air Force site here
http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/

I plan to be there both days, though I need to leave very early Sat. for my neice's wedding (You would think she'd be more considerate! ). I will be there pretty much all day Sunday, and hope to get some GOOD pictures to share this time (I've done fairly well the last two years at this event).

Hope to see y'all there. If you didn't get enough at Oshkosh, come on over to Willow Run!

 

[Missa]

I'll be there on Sunday. I've got a 99's meeting at St. Claire on Sat. Now you would really think THEY would be more considerate!

Missa

 

[T Bone]

I'll be there on Sunday. I've got a 99's meeting at St. Claire on Sat. Now you would really think THEY would be more considerate!

Missa

Lol~!

Say hi. I'll be the one with a Fuji digital camera growing out of my face!

 

[Maverick]

I'll be there on Sunday. I've got a 99's meeting at St. Claire on Sat. Now you would really think THEY would be more considerate!

Missa

Oh my God I almost forgot about that air show. I should try to get there too.

Jeannie

 

[T Bone]

Was a great time both days. Lots of cool aircraft (and a formation flight of B-17's!). I will get some pics up tomorrow (need to resize some for the dial up crowd and for better viewing when uploading here). For now, here's a couple untouched by Photoshop......

 

[Maverick]

Was a great time both days. Lots of cool aircraft (and a formation flight of B-17's!). I will get some pics up tomorrow (need to resize some for the dial up crowd and for better viewing when uploading here). For now, here's a couple untouched by Photoshop......

Well I wanted to go but ended up doing my BFR instead. It was like a sauna in the airplane today and I lost a radio. Well I didn't loose it loose it. My Comm1 a KY197 tripped a circuit breaker when I turned the avionics master on. It also caused all my other avionics to recycle. Kinda sounds like a dead short. Well, there goes some more money.

Jeannie

 

[Ghery]

4 B-17s in a missing man formation. Now you don't see that every day. Thanks for sharing.

 

[T Bone]

T Bone,

"Gentleman Jim" is Jack Roush's -51 he previously had painted as "Glamorous Glen III". Seems there's been a falling out with Gen. Y. Don't know the details.

Correct it's the same plane. Details on reason for change are unknown to me (not for lack of trying ). The story I got from a YAF linesman was that it was prompted by the woman J.R. is dating, and was due to something about the numbers of the airctraft? I have no idea (but suspected possibly as you stated). Oh, guess I've been out of the gossip circles too much . Oh well, Old Crow is also his, (painted as Bud Anderson's former mount) and I've heard unconfirmed rumors there is another Mustang or two (?) .

 

[T Bone]

That's a great link! New one for the Aircraft Reference Favorites list!

As to the CAF, I really don't see why they felt the need to change. Members I've spoken to were not pleased either, but it seems some now specifically equate the term "Confederate" with Racism. The two are not inexorably linked IMO. I see absolutely no direct connection between the CAF's former name racism. I even suspect the Yankee Air Force name may have been inspired by the name Confederate Air Force. Oh well, never was much for PC myself. At least they kept the same initials.

 

[T Bone]

Hard to say for certain, but I'm sure an effort will be made. This has become and continues to be one of the USA's largest warbird events. Even with the museum burning to the ground last Fall, the organization remains comitted to putting on an awesome event. Last years theme centered on TBM Avengers, with 13 examples of type. The year before, we had lots of bombers including the Lancaster from Canada, about 6 B-17's and several B-25's. Bottom line, I am certain the event will rival anything else in North America (perhaps even Oshkosh) when it comes to warbirds. Hopefully, this event will also help us towards our goal of another museum/hangar structure (our aircraft that survived the fire are currently housed in a hangar on loan from the county I think).

On the subject of the changed paint scheme of Glamorous Glenn III/ Gentleman Jim, I ran into a gentleman at dinner tonight that I run into about every month or two. He does some work for the Roush organization, including work on some of the aircraft. He says he will make an inquiry (also confirmed the third Mustang, believes it is currently in for paint). When I see him next, hopefully he can shed some light on the change of colors

 

[T Bone]

Thanks for the info. If OSH wasn't so close on the calendar Willow Run would be a great show for me to have an excuse to make a long x-c.

Maybe next year. Is there any ramp set aside for transient aircraft to come in for the show as spectators?

Sorry Steve, I seem to have missed this one! Usually they put transients on the West Ramp, a whole long ways from the show action on the East Ramp.

I'm not sure if there is a shuttle or what not, but as time gets closer I will look into it. If things go as I hope, I will get more active with the YAF this year and perhaps be involved in the event in a small way. Certainly could lobby for some transportation from West to East.