Photos from Late Fall- Elkhart Warbird Weekend
Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:41 pm
Been going through some photos from this past year, and thought I would share some from an event that I haven't seen coverage of anywhere.
In late-September/early-October, a group of warbird pilots gathers in Elkhart, IN and the surrounding area for a weekend of warbird flying. For a small fee, spectators are able to wander the hot ramp prior and set up chairs along a taxiway to view an afternoon of formation flying contests, flour bombing contests, and solo aerobatic displays. The local EAA chapter also usually serves breakfast and lunch. Sunday the pilots fly out to another airport for breakfast, and a few of the warbirds head over to the grass strip in Watervliet, MI for lunch. This year, the Sunday breakfast was at Dowagiac Muiciipal Airport (MI).
Below are some photos from a fun weekend of warbird watching. If anyone would like to see more photos of any of the aircraft in particular, let me know and I'll see what I can find.
P-51 "Gunfighter" was on hand for rides at Elkhart and Dowagiac. Also flew a solo aerobatic display and a formation flight with the F4U-5 and FM-2.
Gunfighter by mbvader
F4U-5 Corsair by mbvader, on Flickr
FM-2 Widlcat by mbvader, on Flickr
Wildcat by mbvader, on Flickr
T-6 Texan "Fly Girl" by mbvader, on Flickr
T-6 Texan by mbvader, on Flickr
T-28 Trojan by mbvader, on Flickr
Pair of Yellow T-6s by mbvader, on Flickr
Stearman by mbvader, on Flickr
There were a little over a dozen T-6s at Elkhart...
T-6 by mbvader, on Flickr
T-6 by mbvader, on Flickr
Staggerwing by mbvader, on Flickr
Flyover by mbvader, on Flickr
Widgeon by mbvader, on Flickr
I stopped by the Andrews University Airpark Open House on the way to the Sunday events at Dowagiac and Watervliet. The UH-1 is a former fire department aircraft.
Huey by mbvader, on Flickr
The T-33 is in rough shape.
T-33 by mbvader, on Flickr
On to Dowagiac. Stearman project pulled out of one of the hangars.
Stearman Project by mbvader, on Flickr
Cornell by mbvader, on Flickr
Cornells by mbvader, on Flickr
Gunfighter by mbvader, on Flickr
Stearmans by mbvader, on Flickr
Texan Tails by mbvader, on Flickr
F4U-5 Start-up by mbvader, on Flickr
F4U-5 Departure by mbvader, on Flickr
Wrapping up the weekend on grass.
Stearman '301' by mbvader, on Flickr
T-6 on the Grass by mbvader, on Flickr
Miss Behavin by mbvader, on Flickr
Eglin T-6 by mbvader, on Flickr
About Time by mbvader, on Flickr
L-16 by mbvader, on Flickr
In late-September/early-October, a group of warbird pilots gathers in Elkhart, IN and the surrounding area for a weekend of warbird flying. For a small fee, spectators are able to wander the hot ramp prior and set up chairs along a taxiway to view an afternoon of formation flying contests, flour bombing contests, and solo aerobatic displays. The local EAA chapter also usually serves breakfast and lunch. Sunday the pilots fly out to another airport for breakfast, and a few of the warbirds head over to the grass strip in Watervliet, MI for lunch. This year, the Sunday breakfast was at Dowagiac Muiciipal Airport (MI).
Below are some photos from a fun weekend of warbird watching. If anyone would like to see more photos of any of the aircraft in particular, let me know and I'll see what I can find.
P-51 "Gunfighter" was on hand for rides at Elkhart and Dowagiac. Also flew a solo aerobatic display and a formation flight with the F4U-5 and FM-2.
Gunfighter by mbvaderF4U-5 Corsair by mbvader, on FlickrFM-2 Widlcat by mbvader, on FlickrWildcat by mbvader, on FlickrT-6 Texan "Fly Girl" by mbvader, on FlickrT-6 Texan by mbvader, on FlickrT-28 Trojan by mbvader, on FlickrPair of Yellow T-6s by mbvader, on FlickrStearman by mbvader, on FlickrThere were a little over a dozen T-6s at Elkhart...
T-6 by mbvader, on FlickrT-6 by mbvader, on FlickrStaggerwing by mbvader, on FlickrFlyover by mbvader, on FlickrWidgeon by mbvader, on FlickrI stopped by the Andrews University Airpark Open House on the way to the Sunday events at Dowagiac and Watervliet. The UH-1 is a former fire department aircraft.
Huey by mbvader, on FlickrThe T-33 is in rough shape.
T-33 by mbvader, on FlickrOn to Dowagiac. Stearman project pulled out of one of the hangars.
Stearman Project by mbvader, on FlickrCornell by mbvader, on FlickrCornells by mbvader, on FlickrGunfighter by mbvader, on FlickrStearmans by mbvader, on FlickrTexan Tails by mbvader, on FlickrF4U-5 Start-up by mbvader, on FlickrF4U-5 Departure by mbvader, on FlickrWrapping up the weekend on grass.
Stearman '301' by mbvader, on FlickrT-6 on the Grass by mbvader, on FlickrMiss Behavin by mbvader, on FlickrEglin T-6 by mbvader, on FlickrAbout Time by mbvader, on FlickrL-16 by mbvader, on Flickr
Re: Photos from Late Fall- Elkhart Warbird Weekend
Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:12 pm
Nice L-16.
The "Eglin" T-6 looks like a new owner started with a Navy paint scheme (color, aft fuselage band, letter on the tail)....Oh well, it's his plane.
The "Eglin" T-6 looks like a new owner started with a Navy paint scheme (color, aft fuselage band, letter on the tail)....Oh well, it's his plane.
Re: Photos from Late Fall- Elkhart Warbird Weekend
Mon Dec 29, 2014 7:08 pm
Looks a lot like the Indy air show without the, well... Indy. 
Seriously though, it looks like a great time and somehow I always find out about it after it happened. I'm going to have to be more vigilant next year.
Seriously though, it looks like a great time and somehow I always find out about it after it happened. I'm going to have to be more vigilant next year.