Five Cats

Valkyrie · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:32 am

I took this picture at the Patuxent show in either 1986 or '87. Not a great shot, but a cool thing to see. Only time I saw five Cats in flight. How rare was this? I remember the announcer said that the Tomcat was flying close to stall speed while the Wildcat was giving it all she had.

Dave

Randy Haskin · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 5:46 am

Valkyrie wrote:

I remember the announcer said that the Tomcat was flying close to stall speed while the Wildcat was giving it all she had.

That sounds like hyperbole to me. Jet fighters land in the 150-knot range (depends on aircraft, yeah, I know), and even with the wings back I have fought F-14s that are perfectly flyable in the 200-knot range.

So...do you really think the Wildcat is full-out at 200 knots?

FG1D Pilot · **Joined:** Fri Mar 04, 2005 10:42 am **Posts:** 450

So...do you really think the Wildcat is full-out at 200 knots?
YES, for formation work. If it was in the lead, it might be a little faster

krlang · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 8:22 am

Hmmm,

I had seen this done a few times in different places back then.
Dale Snodgrass was amazing while flying the Tomcat.
The two times I had watched this in Batavia, NY the Wildcat was substituted by a Corsair though. The Cat Ballet between the Tomcat and Tigercat was very impressive also. John Ellis waiting on the runway while Dale performed a low approach to simulate the formation departure.
And!, the touch and go in the F-14! WHEW! GOOD STUFF!

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:01 am

krlang wrote:

The two times I had watched this in Batavia, NY the Wildcat was substituted by a Corsair though.

I attended WOE in 95 and 96. Here are some pics of the F-14 in 1995...
http://community.webshots.com/photo/475 ... 2405HOKjUR
http://community.webshots.com/photo/475 ... 2405XlvCXf
http://community.webshots.com/photo/475 ... 2405ZayyIW

Here are a couple of shots of the Cat flight with the Corsair substitute...
http://community.webshots.com/photo/475 ... 2405HfgqMY
http://community.webshots.com/photo/475 ... 2405USRNjX

krlang wrote:

The Cat Ballet between the Tomcat and Tigercat was very impressive also.

I think that was performed at the WOE in 96. It is still my most memorable moment of any airshow. An F7F in the lead with a F-14 in tight formation with the pair holding the formation through a series of barrel rolls down the entire flight line..... WOW! :shock:

Mike

TimAPNY · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:23 am

I wish I had been able to attend those shows,

but I guess I was getting an airshow everyday during those years.

CH2Tdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 12:57 pm

I actually just got thru transfering the WOE 1996 Batavia show to DVD. That whole routine with Dale and the F7F Tigercat, and of course the cat flight formation is priceless. I have a few stills somewhere that I will try to find and post here.

Peter

mrhenniger · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:33 pm

CH2Tdriver wrote:

I actually just got thru transfering the WOE 1996 Batavia show to DVD. That whole routine with Dale and the F7F Tigercat, and of course the cat flight formation is priceless. I have a few stills somewhere that I will try to find and post here.

Peter

Geeez... What would it take to get a copy of that? It would sure bring back some great memories.

Mike

bearfan1 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:55 pm

Here's another cat flight from the Kalamazoo Air Show 1988 or 89

bf1

CH2Tdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 7:32 pm

Geeez... What would it take to get a copy of that? It would sure bring back some great memories.

Mike[/quote]

Send me an email: ptbpilot@yahoo.com

Peter

CH2Tdriver · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 9:38 pm

WOE Batavia NY Cat Flight 1996

Cheers,
Peter

Aircraft Mech Paul · **Posted:** Mon Jan 23, 2006 11:24 pm

Hi all,

Nice photo's and Thanks for posting them. It seems to me that Oshkosh hosted a 5 plane Cat formation some time back. Though I can't recall the dates. Any help ??

Paul

michael luther · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:58 am

K-zoo did that a number of times, allmost every year of thier show before the bearcats engine failed. They also did it later on with CAFs bearcat in place of thiers.

PatM · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2006 8:56 pm

My first airshow was Kalamazoo in '90 (Migs over Michigan was the theme). I think they had the 6 Cats including the Panther.

I agree with Mike. Dale Snodgrass making the slow approach while the Tigercat was on his takeoff roll at Batavia was THE airshow moment in my memory! Post more photos!!!

Roger Cain · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:44 pm

Lousy weather at the 1995 Kalamazoo show, but nice collection of planes.

Left to right: Hellcat, Tomcat, Tigercat, Panther, Bearcat, & Wildcat

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