'Thunder Over Michigan'

James Church · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2004 7:36 pm

Another great show! Congratulations (and thanks) to Mike Luther, Kevin Walsh, Paul Draper and the rest of the gang on a job well done. For those who missed it, I wish you all could have been there. Great airplanes, great flying and great friends. Always the highlight of my year. Same time, same place next year guys. I can hardly wait! :D :

Jim · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2004 7:43 pm

Wheres the pics?

Gary Applebaum · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2004 9:03 pm

It was by far the best flying show I have ever attended. Mike Luther, Paul Draper, etal, have made this the premier warbird show around. There was an incredible lineup of aircraft, and the flying was awesome. ( I hope they invite me back next year! ) Thanks for a great weekend.

AIRIC · **Posted:** Sun Aug 08, 2004 9:10 pm

Hey Gary,

It was great seeing you in the Widgeon last night. I was up in the Black Cat. Got a few good pics of your aircraft but I can't wait to see J-Box's pics.

What a show, 13 TBMs and tons of Navy aircraft. Pics posted soon!

Cheers,

Eric

AirJimL2 · **Posted:** Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:03 am

The best way to describe the show is WICKED COOL! 12 TBMs, more Harvards/SNJs/AT-6s than I can count, the Firefly, 3 P-47s, 3 F4Us, and best of all the Mt. Hope Sea Fury. (Which I happened to get to see taxi out on Sunday! Woo Hoo!)

It was great to see and talk to Paul, Tim, Steve, Jim, Eric, Greg again. Sorry Mike that I didn't have more time to talk to you.

Now if only I had great things to say about the drive home Sunday...

Jim

Dave D · **Joined:** Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:06 pm **Posts:** 63

I just have to say that I got to go over for the show on Saturday. It was a wonderful show and a perfect day for it. I would like to thank all who were involved, Paul Draper, Mike Luther, and Kevin Walsh and countless others. Great Job!!!!!!!!!!! Hands down I have NEVER seen aircraft fly like that (a lot of sauce). I will be dreaming about that show for the next twelve months. Hopefully I can do it again next year. Way To Go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, also it was great to meet so many fellow WIXer's. Paul, Eric, Mike, Dick, Alan, Tim, Steve, and good to see Brad again. Sorry to those who I left out or didn't get to meet.

Dave D.

setter · **Posted:** Mon Aug 09, 2004 6:49 pm

Hi all

Sounds like this was a biggie - and the photos are..............................

Regards
John Parker

Brad · **Joined:** Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:30 pm **Posts:** 1129

I had a great time at the show, well worth the 1,715 mile round trip!

I definately have to come back next year. I was good to meet and visit with everybody: Alan, Tim, Airic, Mike, Jim, Steve T, Dick, Paul, Steve and Dave Dennis, and the others that I'm sure I'm forgetting. I also visited with Nathan Davis for a while on Saturday. He's a really nice guy. I really enjoyed comparing old Breckenridge airshow stories with Alan Brooks. Dan Linn, you should have been there.

I really got a kick out of the security guys on Saturday after the show. They take their job SERIOUSLY!!! They were kicking airplane owners off the flight line. It was pretty humorous all together.

I got back home on Sunday afternoon and was supposed to take a plane to Ft Bragg to do some airdrops with the Army earlier today(Monday). While I was doing my preflight, I tore some of the cartilage that holds my left ribs to my sternum.........it hurt.......I won't be doing much flying or anything else for the next couple of weeks.

James Church · **Posted:** Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:33 pm

Brad it was great to finally meet you too. Sorry to hear about your injury, hope you heel soon. And oh yeah, anytime your at Willow Run, beware of the Ramp Nazis!!! :0) Ve Vill make you clear zee ramp!!!!

C170BDan · **Posted:** Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:16 pm

Yeah... shoulda been there... I am glad ya'll are posting reports!

Steven M. Dennis · **Posted:** Tue Aug 10, 2004 7:43 am

Brad wrote:

While I was doing my preflight, I tore some of the cartilage that holds my left ribs to my sternum.........it hurt.......I won't be doing much flying or anything else for the next couple of weeks.

Brad,

Sounds like a good excuse for you to stay home, relax, get some rest and then go mess around with your Rawdon project. After that long drive, the down time will do you some good!

It was great getting together with you and the rest of the guys this last weekend Brad! I definitely hope you can make it next year, and then maybe you'll get a chance to get over and look at Kalamazoo's new building. Although ground bound, their collection just seems to be getting more and more impressive.

And to all the rest of the gang: Tim S., Mike H., Steve T., Alan B., Dick P., Jim C., Eric D., Mike R., Paul D., and so many others (and of course all of the lovely WIX wives), it was wonderful to meet all of you in person. You guys are a fantastic bunch of people that I am so privileged to be able to call my friends. The world of Warbirds is great not only for the history and the machinery, but most of all for the people.

As so many have said here before, I would like to give a standing ovation to the organizers and tireless workers of Thunder Over Michigan. Few people realize all of the hard work, planning, and effort that goes into the process of putting something together like this. I can't imagine the complexities involved, setting your themes, working with all of the invitations, your budget process alone has to be a nightmare, etc., etc.

All I can say is you guys (and gals), ROCK!!!!!!!

Thanks for the fabulous weekend!

Steve :wink:

Helldivers · **Posted:** Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:01 am

This rates as one of the best shows Ive ever been at!! :supz:

Great hospitality :lol:

lots of a/c, great to meet the wixers ,lots of flying ,got a ride on the Sat. TBM flight,air to air with the SB2C!! WOW!!!Thanks to Gary Applebaum the ride to and from was too cool!!You da man!!!Fun meter was pegged all weekend!!Thanks Tom Buck the ride was great!!Watch out for the ramp Nazis!!Thank God they dont have guns!!!What a show!!!Mike

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:53 am

The P-51 Geraldine arrived late on Saturday. Did anything arrive on Sunday that wasn't there on Saturday?

Regards,

Mike

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11281

Brad wrote:

While I was doing my preflight, I tore some of the cartilage that holds my left ribs to my sternum.

Whaaaaaat? Did you trip on an antenna and slide off the top of the fuselage? :Hangman:

I didn't realize C-17 preflights were so dangerous...

James Church · **Posted:** Sun Aug 15, 2004 5:38 am

Mike, a Pontiac-based T-28A (in South Vietnamese colors) and Willow Run-based T-34 (Joe Pardee-sp?) showed up on Sunday. The T-34 was just getting its Navy yellow paint scheme applied, and wasn't quite finished yet. It is going to be a beauty! Jim

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'Thunder Over Michigan'

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