The good old days of airshows...

[DoraNineFan]

I just can't participate in them anymore. I remember when you could stand 30 feet from a warbird and watch it start up and feel the thunder.

At my last one, marshalling was done by little Civil Air Patrol cadets and there was one little führer taking his task way too seriously. Better not put a toe over that line.

Today you have announcers that are paid by the syllable talking over everything. And you have amped up PA systems blasting whatever classic rock the vender brought with them. Nothing goes better with an airshow than "Rock you Like A Hurricane" at 140 db.

Now the warbirds are way over behind those fighter jets that have been idling for the last 35 mins and will idle through the entire piston display.

I would argue that some piston-only shows would be very nice to have.

[bdk]

Always enjoy your photos Neal!

I was at some of those shows and volunteered at the Chino shows from the '80s through about 2010. The thing I remember about those shows is that the volunteers had way more fun than the crowd, P-51 rides during the show performances (every open seat was filled!), B-25 rides after the show, etc. I remember selling beer out of a tub filled with ice before I was 21 at one of the vending stands. Now it is all too serious, but I'm not sure if it is really any safer. Somebody must think so.

[RyanShort1]

I would argue that some piston-only shows would be very nice to have.

Plan a trip next year for Wings Over Dallas. All pistons... all warbirds, and I suspect even better next year if the recovery from the COVID panic is more complete.

[Lon Moer]

Post all you can Neal!
I still remember all those monthly NAG meetings that ended in slide shows until 2AM
- and still having to go to work the next day

[Neal Nurmi]

Thanks for the comments and encouragement. It's more fun to share than to poke through this stuff alone, LOL.

So more bellbottoms, no ropes, and the World Airways/Ed Daly B-23. It's a shame this airplane faded away -- it was a solid airframe and a popular airshow airplane back in the day.

Attachments

[Neal Nurmi]

Strategic Airpower

I wonder if one could ever get this close to a B-52 these days...

Attachments

[C VEICH]

So more bellbottoms, no ropes, and the World Airways/Ed Daly B-23. It's a shame this airplane faded away -- it was a solid airframe and a popular airshow airplane back in the day.

Can I assume this is the same Dragon that I saw at the PoF airshow in about 1987 or 88? That was the one and only time I saw the airplane and, if memory serves, it was static only and did not participate in the show. (Which was a bummer!) I was too dumb to take pics of everything but you can see the tail of it here behind Tiger's P-40M.

Attachments

[Neal Nurmi]

After the death of Mr Daly the airplane was acquired by a man named Mike Bogue, in Northern California. Mike was cheap, and always complaining about how much the airplane cost to run, though he did a few shows with it. Mike was developing (surveying, paving, roads and utilities for virgin land) the Eagle's Nest airport in Ione California at the time. and the B-23 sat there for a long time. Mike passed away and the airplane continued to just sit. It was eventually purchased and just disappeared.

[sledge39]

I've got stuff I could post if it's OK

Art Scholl aerobatics in a clipped-wing Cub N3375N (-before the Chipmunks-)

Airraces at Fox Field, Lancaster, Ca (WJF) 6 June 1965

Sledge

[Neal Nurmi]

Bring it on, Sledge! I love seeing your old stuff, and I usually learn from it.

Here's Art 10 years later. Reno 76 and 77 were the only times I remember ever seeing him. Absolutely one of the all time great showmen...

Attachments

[Matt Gunsch]

Thank you, Chad. I have a lot of this kind of stuff I've been scanning to digital, that I at least find quite fascinating to look at -- everything from planes and people no longer with us to the way spectators were dressed back in the 1970s (all those bellbottoms!). I thought there'd be some interest here, but have been discouraged by the lack of response. Is this stuff interesting and does anybody in the Covid era care about it?

So thanks for the comments, Chad

the photo with Sentimental Journey would have been early 80s, the top was installed around that time. I helped to install it, I was either a freshman or sophomore in high school.

[Neal Nurmi]

Matt -- This shot of that Jenny is marked May 1985. I kind of remember coming down to Chino to volunteer one year about then. Does that sound about right?

Attachments

[Neal Nurmi]

That B-23 never did really fly a lot at any of the shows I remember. Here's one of the few decent shots I have.

I always thought it was a really good looking airplane, especially in the air...

Attachments

[sledge39]

More Art Scholl...

01 Scholl's place at Flabob 25 Dec 1967

02-04 Reno '68

Sledge

Attachments

[Neal Nurmi]

Those are great! Art looks so young...