Flights of fancy soar at Miramar

Flights of fancy soar at Miramar

(EXCERPT)

Aerial maneuvers delight enthusiasts at annual air show, by Chris
Moran UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

October 19, 2003

San Diego County paid annual homage to its aviation culture by turning
out by the hundreds of thousands to watch flying machines smoke,
thunder and speed their way across clear skies over Marine Corps Air
Station Miramar yesterday.

The throng at this year's Miramar Air Show turned the tarmac into a
concrete beach covered by towels, umbrellas, picnic spreads and
fold-up chairs. Aviation enthusiasts gulped drinks, smeared on
sunscreen and craned their necks to watch one airplane after another
make passes, sometimes with gravity-defying acrobatics and at other
times with speeds that outran sound. About 50,000 spectators attended
Friday, and...

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Otis Willie
Associate Librarian
The American War Library
http://www.americanwarlibrary.com

That was an ok airshow, but I really overbilled it to my guests. This was my
first time in three years to attend and it seems to be substantially less than
any I recall. The Marines know how to run an airshow and the show was
professionally done through and through. What surprised me was the paucity of
aircraft, in relation to what I remember from previous shows. There were very
few warbirds and GA, in comparison. No complaints about the show - I went
Sunday and the dense fog seemed to have kept most of the crowds away. The
bleachers never filled up but the Marines and other performers gave us their
best. I thought the Bone takeoff in full burner was classic and the
now-familiar attack by the full Marine combined arms force was as fun as
always. The F-16 demo was energetic and left everyone with a sore neck. I
never did see an Osprey - either I missed it somehow or it was a no show. I
once got a fam flight in the XV-15 and I would have enjoyed a chance to compare
the two machines. I was surprised that the UAV revolution was represented by a
single Predator. The JSF analog was VERY cool.

My favorite radio station had a booth - transfixed Gameboids lined up to try to
land a toy helicopter on a small deck. My 3 year old gave up in the middle of
her turn and suddenly, I am fighting for control, knowing that if I can't get
this #@$#$%@% toy to a safe landing, I will *never* hear the end of it. Thank
god all those thousands of hours in million-dollar military simulators have
transferred to at least ONE skill I can use today.

Patty Wagstaff and the Oracle biplane would make a fine dual act - or better
yet, have the Red Baron team fly as a diamond; Patty and the Oracle a/c fly as
opposing solos. It would work, I tell you.

v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR Aircrew

"Got anything on your radar, SENSO?"
"Nothing but my forehead, sir."

"Gordon" wrote in message
...
That was an ok airshow, but I really overbilled it to my guests. This was
my
first time in three years to attend and it seems to be substantially less
than
any I recall. The Marines know how to run an airshow and the show was


Snipp-o-rama


v/r
Gordon
====(A+C====
USN SAR Aircrew




In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.


Here in SA, we have one Air Force air show/open day every 3-5 years and a
civilian airshow about every 2 years.


I missed the Jamestown show last weekend. as I was working. I missed the
previous one because the guy I was going with, forgot that HE was working
that weekend.



I love the smell of Jet-A in the morning.......



Cheers



Dave Kearton (if it was in an aerosol or roll-on, I'd buy it)

I love the smell of Jet-A in the morning.......

walking onto the ramp, i caught a whiff of fresh JP exhaust. ahhhhh, all is
right in the world.

I was at Miramar on Saturday- There was some GA (got to see a Grumman
Widgeon for the first time!) and a few warbirds, about 15 or 20 depending on
your description of a warbird. Three L-29 Delfins and an L-39 Albatros were
there, along with a matched pair of ex-Swiss Hunters. At least one Yak-52
made it, along with a B-25 in beautiful shape. For me the highlight of the
displays was the lineup of really cool commander's birds from each of the
squadrons on base- the Marines are going all out for cool paint jobs. Only
regret was not putting sunscreen on all the necessary spots and having a
v-shaped sunburn on my chest!

--
Jim Atkins
Twentynine Palms CA USA

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
- Groucho Marx

Jim Atkins wrote:

I was at Miramar on Saturday- There was some GA (got to see a Grumman
Widgeon for the first time!) and a few warbirds, about 15 or 20 depending
on your description of a warbird. Three L-29 Delfins and an L-39 Albatros
were there, along with a matched pair of ex-Swiss Hunters. At least one
Yak-52 made it, along with a B-25 in beautiful shape. For me the highlight
of the displays was the lineup of really cool commander's birds from each
of the squadrons on base- the Marines are going all out for cool paint
jobs. Only regret was not putting sunscreen on all the necessary spots and
having a v-shaped sunburn on my chest!

I always forget to 'screen the bottom of my chin.

Then I spend the whole day looking up at the air displays, and I'm sure
you can guess the rest. My wife calls it the "airshow burn" because
that's the only time I get that area of skin burned.

-Marc
--
Marc Reeve
actual email address after removal of 4s & spaces is
c4m4r4a4m4a4n a4t c4r4u4z4i4o d4o4t c4o4m

I always forget to 'screen the bottom of my chin.

Then I spend the whole day looking up at the air displays, and I'm sure
you can guess the rest. My wife calls it the "airshow burn" because
that's the only time I get that area of skin burned.

Ah I suppose everyone here probably has an airshow sunburn story...
Ron
Pilot/Wildland Firefighter

Ron wrote:
I always forget to 'screen the bottom of my chin.

Then I spend the whole day looking up at the air displays, and I'm
sure you can guess the rest. My wife calls it the "airshow burn"
because that's the only time I get that area of skin burned.

Ah I suppose everyone here probably has an airshow sunburn story...
Ron

And probably a set of white stripes across their necks to match.

--
James...
http://www.jameshart.co.uk/

James Hart wrote:

Ron wrote:
I always forget to 'screen the bottom of my chin.

Then I spend the whole day looking up at the air displays, and I'm
sure you can guess the rest. My wife calls it the "airshow burn"
because that's the only time I get that area of skin burned.

Ah I suppose everyone here probably has an airshow sunburn story...
Ron

And probably a set of white stripes across their necks to match.

--
James...
http://www.jameshart.co.uk/

Every spring I walk into customers' offices, and they look funny at my
peeling face, and I have to say "Blue Angels Disease".

Bob McKellar