This was my first time back to this show since 2018. In 2019. Mother Superior fell a few days before the show, breaking her leg and tearing some ligaments. She had surgery on the Saturday of the show weekend and even a cave dweller like myself knew that going to the show would have been a recipe for long term trouble. 2020 and 2021, covid kept me from travelling to the Detroit area for this show so I was stoked to make a return.
British aircraft were to be featured and the lineup was supposed to include 3 Spifires ( 1 showed ) 3 Hurricanes ( 1 showed ) 2 Vampires ( 1 showed ), a Lysander, a Firefly and a Mosquito all of which cancelled. In addition a German P-3, a B-52, an E-2 Hawkeye and a couple of Mustangs were also no shows. The static ramp was looking awfully empty and the flying displays were severley shortened.
Some last minute phone calls were made and the Tri State Warbird Museum sent their RNZAF P-40 along with their P&W powered FW 190 to the show.
For the past two years TOM has gone with the drive in style show and split it into morning and afternoon shows with separate entry fees charged for both. There is a 2.5 - 3 hour "pause" between the two shows to allow thr morning crowd out and the afternoon crowd in. Blue Angels were the featured act of the afternoon shows. With all the cancellations and generally poor weather, the 3 hour shows turned out to be about 2 hours in length.
I am one of 6 volunteers that run the photo pit area. Feed back from the crowd there was fairly positive but these folks get special entry times and much improved viewing opportunities. Early feed back I am seeing on social media is less than complimentary towards this year's show. Folks do not feel they are getting value for their money. Most general admission airshow attendees do not really understand the tempermental nature of 75-80 year old aircraft and therefore the lengthy list of cancellations was a real burr in their bonnet. Many folks who go to shows by themself or with one other feel the $225 dollar per carload fee is excessive and I agree with them.
I yearn for the days of pre covid style airshows. The drivein format saved shows during covid but my humble opinion is they need to be put on the shelf.
The aircraft that I photographed have been sorted and will be posted in numerical/alphabetical order meaning the first few posts will be current day aircraft as numbers come up first. I will hilight one aircraft per day. Some may only have one photo, others will have multiple pics attached. While overall aircraft numbers were down there were a few that were first time sightings for me.
On with the pics then!
63-7993
Ohio Air National Guard
Cheers
Jeff