Folks....
Denise and I headed to Akron, CO today for the National Radial Engine Exhibition show today, a combo airshow/carshow...something to do and who knows what would be there. Glad we did. The weather was a bit dodgy, low scud everywhere and not looking like it was going to get any better....but as we approached Akron (about an hour and a half east of Greeley), a P-51 and an F-16 were buzzing around chasing each other and we thought we might be on to something. The whole town of Akron PLUS showed up at the airport and there were plenty of planes, even a few locals like Joe Thibodeau with the Sea Fury, a DC-3 from Detroit (I'm assuming) a T-28 from Sterling, CO......the 'fast movers' were on another part of the ramp, requiring another shuttle ride, but we wanted to see the P-51 we had seen, whether it too was Thibodeau's or someone else's, and even with my long lens on I could'nt tell, so we got on the shuttle and headed across. You could have knocked me over with a feather at what we discovered. Not only was the Mustang NOT Thibodeau's, there were TWO of them there....and one of them I NEVER expected to see in Colorado, as the last time I saw it it was pieces and parts in Duxford, England....there before us sat not only 'Double Trouble Two', but 'Princess Elizabeth'!! Long had I waited to see this P-51B/C model, but our paths had never crossed, at least not while she was airworthy....she did'nt participate in the show, Ed Shipley did all the flying in 'Double Trouble', but just to be able to peruse her and see her take off as she apparently departed the show was enough. It just goes to show....never rule out those small town airshows....you NEVER know what's going to be there!
Some pot shots below from my cheap underwater digital.....incidentally, where is 'Princess Elizabeth' based now and who owns her?
Mark
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