Warbird Information Exchange

Legends is near the ultimate for real flying and fighting machines and it's hard to beat pilots like Alex Henshaw and Johnnie Johnson. But I have rarely been as cold as it can be at Duxford or Biggin Hill in the summer! They call it Biggin on the bump, and I think they mean goosebumps! I can't say much for English food, Texas Bar B Q has it all beat, and if you like Mexican food. I don't know who the Legends airboss is, but unlike Ralph the Mouth, he probably has to use a microphone to be heard. I think the public gets better access to the planes at CAF.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

From the General - the Gunfighter is a CAF airplane, and required to be at Midland. I assume the same holds for Red Nose... too bad, since I know they both intended to attend GML...probably two of those 70 already confirmed. Erm... if they'd 'confirmed' they were going to be at GML, and now aren't... that seems a bit harsh.

One wonders if the 'sponsor' realizes the ill feeling they are generating, since this is obviously a recent change (ICAS still lists it as the week prior) and the GML dates were announce way back last April... If the move to Sep did not generate a jet team, why not go ahead and move it back to Oct? Almost feels like CAF does not wish to support something like a 'Gathering'. Bad feelings all around on this one... a 50th vs a Gathering... neither one will happen again.. and I'm sure the CAF will put on a good show, I just hate that folks have to choose. Wonder if CAF *members* will feel 'obligated' to attend that show rather than the Gathering?

Another thought - maybe they could come to LCK on Wednesday, be there until noon on Friday ... must not be *that* long of a flight from LCK to MAF... 5 hours? more? Sunset is in the neighborhood of 2000 about then, isn't it?

Re: the date change for the CAF Airsho. As Doug and several others have mentioned, it was completely unavoidable. There was much discussion about the impact on our show as well as the Gathering of Mustangs, and about where the two CAF Mustangs would be, what warbirds besides CAF airplanes (which are required to be at the airshow in Midland) would come, etc, etc. It was not a decision done lightly, but we could not afford to alienate our primary sponsor whose continuing support is vital to the CAF.

Our old October date is now the date of Wings over Houston: too close to Midland so the conflict over airplanes in the southern part of the country would be significantly greater. The weather becomes increasingly problematical the later into October we go so that is why we worked only in September.

I wanted to go to the Gathering too, but I'm working hard to make sure the CAF 50th Anniversary Airsho is a special event such that the enthusiast will enjoy it tremendously. And thank you Bill Greenwood for saying that access to the airplanes for the spectators is superior at our show...

Old Shep
Airsho Chairman

Ryan, I can understand your frustration that the two shows interfere. However I would be very surprised if any significant part of the CAF purposly tried to conflict with the Mustang event, just as I doubt if the 51 guys were looking for a conflict. There are so many CAF members that would attend the Gathering also, just as there are EAA, or YAM, or CWH, etc. who come to Midland or Houston. I expect weather could be more of a problem in Ohio than at Midland. Hopefully the CAF 50 th will still be a warbird show and it seems like the Gathering is moving more to an Oskosh type event. The country is big enough that there is room for major events in both places.

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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK

I too hope Airsho stages a good recovery from this, as a first time 2005 attendee, as I agree with Bill that it is a very well run, up close and personal airshow with good access to the airplanes. Legends has unbeatable atmosphere and all that wholesome Spitfire goodness but it is very frustrating never to get closer than 50m to the parked warbirds and to have to look at them through one's telephoto lens while the Connected Ones swarm all over them. I love how at Midland you can stand right next to the P-51 or Dauntless while they fire up for rides flights as many times as you want (which for me is a lot of times). The money put in by the Airsho sponsor really shows in the ample staffing of the event and things like the free drinking water tanks that are a real boon in the 3-digit temps.

Here's the thing. Airsho is always a great show, but has time run out and circumstances conspired to make it unrealistic to have it be something super special this year? Might it be best to make this year just normal-great and save the max effort for a more opportune year? Perhaps when a jet team can be secured, all the heavies are back in the air, and there's no conflict to worry about? I realize that even a normal year requires a max effort, but you know what I mean -- rather than set expectations too high this year, set them too high some other year. I would love to see Airsho make an all-out effort to draw non-CAF warbirds from around the country the way it used to, put up a dozen Mustangs and two or three of everything else, etc., and I don't care if it's Year 50 or not.

Just some random thoughts, I'm sure you guys will do a great job no matter what.

August

And sometimes when you can't get close enough as a spectator, you become a volunteer. Back when I was a member of the Golden Gate Wing I did just that! Lots of fun, worked the Traron and the Airsho that year. Four long days of ramp duty marshalling gave the survivors party a whole new meaning.

The coldest I've ever been at an airshow was the CAF show in Midland in 2000 I believe. Blisteringly hot on the day before but on the second day it was absolutely freezing! Crazy Texas weather.

I loved the CAF show, great atmosphere and Midland was a great place to spend some time in. Wish I could get back this year.

N00b question time: Why won't there be another Mustangs Gathering? Is it really impossible to pull off or something?

There most likely will be another Mustangs gathering, as big or bigger.

But this is a gathering of Mustangs and Legends. Mustangs we can count on being around for quite a while yet. Legends -- alas, not.

August

I was going to take the North American Yale to the "Gathering", because of it's heritage connection.

Now I will be taking the Spad to Midland to do the Vietnam Reenactment.

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Eric

"I spent most of my money on alcohol, women and skyraiders....and the rest of it I just wasted."