Welcome to Airshow Traveler Magazine's Newsletter, Air Show Weekly, where we take a look at upcoming airshows and showcase current aviation topics. All air show information listed is accurate as we know it. Still, it is best to check with the individual air show to see if there are any changes. Even then, scheduled aircraft may not appear due to bad weather en route, or because of mechanical breakdown. | | Riverside Air Show, March 28 | Location: Riverside Airport, CA Reportedly, there were 70,000 attendees at last year's show in Riverside, so they must be doing something right. The admission price is certainly right - free. Okay, you have to pay $5 to park, so stuff 10 people in your minivan and it works out to 50 cents a piece. At press time there were no static displays to list here, but from what I've read, this is one of those shows where you pack up the kiddies and have a nice day in the California sun. Watch the air show, and check out the car show, and the games, and the food, and, well, make a day of it. Sounds like an old-fashioned air show to me. The C-17 Globemaster III is supposed to do its thing at the Riverside show just like this C-17A (04-4135) did at the 2007 McGuire AFB show. Photo by Linda Matusiak. 
| Performers | | USAF Heritage Flight: A-10, F-86 | | Jon Melby and his Pitts | | Silver Wings Wingwalking Team | | Frank Donnelly and his 1946 T-Cart | | Melissa Andrzejewski and her Edge 540 | | C-17 Globemaster III Demo | | C-53D Skytrooper | | US Navy Legacy Flight | | John Collver and his Texan | | Just In Time Skydivers | | Tyndall AFB Gulf Coast Salute, March 28-29 | Location: Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL Admission: Free
There are two air shows in Florida this weekend. We have been to both of them before and you can't go wrong with either one.
First up is the show at Tyndall AFB, just outside Panama City. Tyndall is home to the 325th Fighter Wing which is comprised of 3 fighter squadrons, two of which fly the F-15, and one that flies the F-22. Tyndall is also the east coast home of the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron that flies the QF-4 Phantom drones. The west coast home of the 82nd ATRS is Holloman AFB, NM. If you look across the main runway you will see several QF-4 Phantoms in a gray paint scheme lined up. One of those Phantoms is scheduled to perform. Tyndall is always a great show. In recent years they have limited it to a one day show, but the two day show is back headlined by the Blue Angels. This is another opportunity to see one of our favorite aircraft, Fowler 'Big Dog' Cary, Jr's T-33 Shooting Star adorned in Thunderbird markings. The pilot of this gorgeous bird is Jerry 'Jive' Kerby who used to fly F-4 Phantoms. He should feel right at home at Tyndall. Photography opportunities are excellent at this show with great lighting and shadows cast on the performing aircraft. And of course, don't forget about their cast of characters on the ground. Tyndall always has a great variety of static displays. If you haven't seen the Sky Soldiers Cobra demo, you are in for a thrill. They're a four-ship team who perform outstanding aerobatic and formation flying. The photo below was taken at the 2006 Dayton Air Show where they debuted their act. Photo by Horace Sagnor.  | Performers & Static | Static | | Blue Angels | F-15C/D Eagle | | Golden Knights | F-16C Fighting Falcon | | Sky Soldiers Cobra Demo | F-22A Raptor | | Franklin Flying Circus | O-2A Skymaster | | F-22 Raptor Demo | HH-65C Dauphin | | Fowler 'Big Dog' Cary, Jr's Vintage T-33 in Thunderbird Markings | C-21 Learjet | | USAF Heritage Flight: F-22, F-15, F-4, P-51 | E-9A Widget | | F-4 Phantom II Demo | Gnat | | Coast Guard Search and Rescue Demo | MH-53E Sea Dragon | | US Air Force Jet Car | T-6A Texan II | | Randy Ball and his Mig-17 | Piper Arrow | | Tim Weber and his Extra 300 | T-6G Texan | | F-15C Eagle Demo | E-3C Sentry | | | CF-18 Hornet | | | T-38C Talon | | | Tornado IDS | | | Yak-52 | | | QF-4 Phantom II | | | T-1A Jayhawk | | | HC-130H Hercules | | | C-17A Globemaster III | | | CT-142 Gonzo | | | F-15E Strike Eagle | | | HH-60G Pavehawk | | | T-34B Mentor | | | F-18E Super Hornet | | | Nanchang CJ-6 | | | UH-1H Iroquois 'Huey' | | | B-25J Mitchell | | | P-51D Mustang | | | Nanchang CJ-6A | | | MacDill AFB Airfest, March 28-29 | | Location: MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL Admission: Free Website: http://www.macdill-airfest.com/
MacDill is the second of our Florida air show previews. This AFB is located just outside Tampa, FL. With the Thunderbirds headlining you are in for a great show. I attended two years ago and was impressed with the performances and especially with the static aircraft on display. Great variety. Unfortunately, a list of static aircraft was not available at press time. The base is home to the 6th Air Mobility Wing which has a squadron of KC-135R Stratotankers and a squadron of C-37A Gulfstreams. MacDill is also home to a fleet of weather aircraft flown by the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmosperic Administration). Two of these aircraft are specially configured P-3 Orions, designated WP-3D Hurricane Hunters. Each is named for a Sesame Street character, so bring the kids and see if they can identify them. Photography is tricky at MacDill since you are facing southwest as you look at the flight line. I chose to hang out where the performing aircraft are parked. It gives you better photography and a chance to see the aircraft taxi out.
Our friend, LM 'Lunar' Sawyer, who just happens to be the wife of Jerry 'Jive' Kerby mentioned in the Tyndall coverage, used to be the narrator for Chris Round's CT-133 Silver Star (21098, NX99184). I forgot to ask her if that's her in the cockpit in the photo below. The photo was taken at the 2007 Florida International Air Show in Punta Gorda, FL. Incidentally, the CT-133 is the Canadian-built version of the T-33 Shooting Star.
| Performers | | USAF Thunderbirds | | SOCOM Parachute Team | | B-25 Mitchell | | Ed Hamill and his Pitts | | C-17 Globemaster III Demo | | Lee Lauderback and his P-51 Mustang 'Crazy Horse' | | Herb and Ditto (T-28 Trojan) | | Chris Rounds and his T-33 'Red Knight' | | C-54 Skymaster 'Spirit of Freedom' | | KC-135 Stratotanker | | A-10A Thunderbolt II 'Warhog' | | F-18E/F Super Hornet | | F-15E Strike Eagle | | USAF Heritage Flight: A-10, F-15, P-51 | | | Museum News | | Note: Clicking on the Museum Name will take you to their website March 27: Hangar Flying Series Showcases the Connie Photojournalist Ralph Pettersen will discuss his favorite aircraft, the Lockheed Constellation. Ralph is the creator of the website on Connies, www.conniesurvivors.com. The event starts at 5:30 with light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar. Discussion on the Connie starts at 7PM with Mr. Pettersen and two pilots who flew the military version of the Connie, the C-121. No tickets are required for the event, but a $5 cash donation is requested to help defray costs. March 28: Collectors Show From 9AM-3PM come out to the free collectors show. We will have a table there showcasing some of our favorite photos, so please stop by.
March 27-28: Living History Symposium Series - WASPs Women Air Service Pilot's (WASP) Betty Blake, Helen Wyatt Snapp and Bernice "Bee" Falk Haydu will appear to discuss their wartime experiences and interact with guests to the museum. During WWII, the infamous Jackie Cochran founded the WASP program where 1,074 women ferried aircraft from the US to military bases in the Pacific and European theaters. The symposium is part of the admission to the museum which is $28.95 for adults, $14.95 for children ages 6-15, plus tax. AAA card accepted for discount. I know these prices are steep, especially in this economy, but this museum is worth it. March 28: Young Astronauts Day
Astronaut Dr. Bonnie Dunbar will speak to children interested in space this Saturday at the museum. Pre-registration is required so check out the website. It so happens that while Dr. Dunbar is addressing the children, the space shuttle Discovery is scheduled to land at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. March 31-May 6: Berlin Airlift Exhibit The museum will host a traveling exhibit honoring the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. When a blockade of Berlin was imposed by the Soviet Union from June 1948 to May 1949, the US and Great Britain began an airdrop of much needed food and supplies to the city's residents. US aircraft included the C-47 and C-54. The two countries managed to fly 278,228 missions delivering 326,406 tons of food and supplies. Though the blockade ended in May, flights continued through September 1949. | | Photos of the Week | Since it is the 60th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, we thought the two US aircraft involved should be showcased. The top photo shows a C-47 Skytrain 'Bluebonnet Belle' (27203, N47HL) while the bottom photo shows the C-54E Skymaster (27370, N500EJ) owned by the Berlin Airlift Historical Foundation. 
| | Looking Ahead | April 4-5: Keesler AFB Air Show, MS April 4-5: Tuscaloosa Air Show, AL March 28-29: Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL April 4-5: Tuscaloosa, AL April 18-19: NAS Corpus Christi, TX April 25-26: Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, NC March 28-29: MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL April 4-5: Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS April 18-19: Ceiba, Puerto Rico April 25-26: Langley AFB, Hampton, VA | | Thank You | Thank you for reading the latest issue of our newsletter. God Bless Us Everyone, Wayne Matusiak, Publisher
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