Chandler Air show 1974

[Neal Nurmi]

Actually this is an experiment -- I'm trying to figure out Flickr. The process is more convoluted than meets the eye...

https://flic.kr/p/BN6qeo

OK, so I have a link -- I can't see how to get it to open as a photo in WIX. It's getting late, so I need to revisit this tomorrow. At least I guess you can follow the link to the photo on Flickr. I always kinda liked that Mustang paint scheme, just because it always pissed off the "Markings Nazis" so much.

sorry about my posting problem -- I think I need to find a 15 year old to explain this computer stuff to me...

[Neal Nurmi]

In the Spring of 1974 I discovered that there were actually Mustangs and stuff still flying. I loved airplanes as a kid, but after High School I got busy with University, women, the Army, women, cars, women, the US West, women -- well you get the idea. Then I happened on a copy of Air Classics -- a true "Holy Crap!" moment. The magazine said there would be an air show at some place called Chandler Field, in Fresno (!?!) California. I decided to go see this thing. I eventually somehow found the place -- it was right in the middle of town. The whole thing thoroughly blew my mind, and 43 years later I'm still obsessing about old airplanes...


1974--Chandler--293 by Neal Nurmi, on


1974--Chandler--286 by Neal Nurmi, on Flickr


1974--Chandler--290 by Neal Nurmi, on Flickr

[Neal Nurmi]

OK, that's better. Now if I can only remember tomorrow what I did today...

[mazdaP5]

In vibrant color no less! Nice!

[DH82EH]

Well done sir!
Thanks Neil. Great stuff.

Andy

[CJAM427]

Glad to see you figured it out!

[Neal Nurmi]

Well, they're not all in glorious color. I was shooting a lot of black and white back then, partly because color was rated at ASA 25. I've scanned a lot of stuff this summer -- thinking that there would be some interest in air shows and warbirds of the past. That was a different time. Crowds were small, security mostly nonexistent, airplanes affordable, and people fixing and flying them seemingly just for the fun of it all...




Chandler---311-bw by Neal Nurmi, on Flickr

[Neal Nurmi]

1974-Chandler---263-Hawk by Neal Nurmi, on Flickr

[Neal Nurmi]

Double post...

[Thomas_Mac]

Great photos Looking forward to seeing more!

[Neal Nurmi]

I'll try to get some more up. I did a lot of air shows back then -- once I figured out that these things were happening all over California. It was an interesting scene -- I'm glad there's some interest after so many years. It all does make me feel old, though...

[Neal Nurmi]

This Flickr thing is different, at least for a pre-internet old Luddite like me. I just checked my email, and it seems that twelve hours after opening a Flickr account and uploading a few pictures I have half a dozen people from all over the world "following" my posts. I don't know about all this -- it's all kinda strange...

[C VEICH]

Great stuff Neal! For my money you can't post too much of this kind of stuff. I was only two years old in 1974 and did not start going to airshows until the early 80's. Even then the atmosphere was much more relaxed then it is now, by far. However, I get the sense that the 70's era shows were really a different time and one that I would have loved to have experienced if only I'd been born a bit earlier!

[Tulio]

Great photos, Neal!

Thank you for sharing.

Saludos,


Tulio

[leo]

It was Air Classics and an article about the Fresno show that started me also. Don't remember what year and they are at home but it had an F-102 on the cover. Wide World of Sports and Air Classics were responsible for me getting hooked on Air Racing.
Love the old Mustang Pilots Club paint and Tom Camps P-40 before he converted the canopy and restored it.