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Knoxville, TN
MCAS Cherry Point, NC
Saint Louis, MO
CFB Trenton, ONT
Thunder Over Michigan, Bellevue, MI
Marion, IN
Waukegan, IL
NAS Patuxent River, MD
Marion, IN Fly/In-Cruise-In
2016 Warbird Photo Review
Warbirds at Marion, IN Airport -
September 3, 2016
What a
wonderful morning at the Marion, IN Fly/IN-Cruise/In and Pancake
Breakfast on its 26th anniversary! The typical August hot and
humid Indiana weather had been broken by a late summer cold front.
The Labor Day Saturday dawned with clear blue skies and cool
temperatures hinting that autumn was just around the corner. When
I arrived at the Marion airport and walked to the main hangar, there it
was as advertised; as promised, the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum P-38J
"Scat III." It was already a great morning. And it was only
9:40AM! The day would only get better as there was a constant
stream of aircraft landing and taking off. Also, two aircraft, a
DC-3 and a T-6, were giving rides. This meant there periodic
take-offs and landings during the morning. In between there were
plenty of other warbirds to view, along with a great car and tractor
show. The Marion Fire Dept. also brought out its 1930's fire truck
for display. All of this at what has become one of the largest
pancake breakfasts in the country to support charitable projects.
I will review just the
above named aircraft for brevity in this review. But there were
also three Stearman aircraft on the field, a T-28, and a T-34. An
L-19 owned by Bill and Debbie Finney was present once again, as it is
every year to support this event.
Now this is a pancake breakfast! P-38J
"Scat III" from the Fagen Fighters Museum in Granite Falls, MN was on
display at the main airport hangar. The last time I saw a P-38,
which was this particular one, it was at an airshow in 2014. In
2014 this P-38 was known as "Ruff Stuff." The aircraft was
repainted in 2015 to honor General Robin Olds. I did not even need
to do any long cross country trip to see "Scat III." It was just a
35 mile drive from my house to the airport.
"Scat III" got lots of attention all morning
from interested spectators.
Laura Stants takes off with another
passenger in Nathan Davis' T-6; on one of many take-offs during
the morning. The distinctive sound of the T-6 makes for a small
airshow itself on each take-off.
Taking off right after Laura was the DC-3
from the Chandler Field Museum at Peach State Aerodrome in Williamson,
GA. This is the first time I became aware of this museum in the
Atlanta, GA area. Chandler Field was the Atlanta airport in the
1920's and 1930's.
Here Laura taxies back in with another happy
customer.
My grandson and I watched the DC-3 taxi back
in after completion of a 20 minute ride. This is the first time he
has seen a DC-3.
Turn-around time was about ten minutes.
The new group of passengers is loading while these two who just got off
have their picture taken.
About 12:00PM the airport started clearing
out the aircraft around "Scat III" out of the way, so it could be moved
into its start-up position. I keep forgetting how big the P-38 is.
Its size becomes obvious compared to the jeep pulling it.
This is just after engine start while still
on the ramp before it taxied out. Indiana has several connections
with the P-38. The Allison V-1710 engines in the P-38 were built
on the west side of Indianapolis, about 75 miles southwest from this
location. Twenty eight miles due south of the Marion Airport on
Indiana State Road 9 is the location of the former Delco-Remy plant 7 in
Anderson. The plant was built in just 71 days, with the aid of 300
floodlights set up so contractors could work through the night. On
December 28, 1940 the plant started producing aluminum die cast parts
for the Allison V-1710. Components cast in Plant 7 for the Allison
engine included valve covers, intake manifolds, engine blocks, and oil
pans. Thirty seven years after it opened, I was assigned to
Plant 7 for a year. At that time it was making Al die cast parts
and automotive switches.
As it taxied out and did its run-ups,
spectators got up close to listen to the distinctive sound of the P-38.
For those who have never heard the sound of the P-38, once they have
heard it, they will never forget it. Its sound is distinctive and
unique. The Allison V-1710 in a P-40 with its short exhaust stacks
"cackles." In the P-38, with its GE super turbo chargers, the
exhaust is smoothed out to what I consider to be a low pitched hum.
It sounds very much like an automotive engine at idle and taxi.
During fly-bys the engines produce what I call a low pitched rumble.
Very unique.
At 12:53 PM "Scat III" took off and then
gave us four fly-bys.
The first pass was with the gear down.
All of the passes were at this altitude. Nice and low!
WOW!!! What a way to end a wonderful
day at the great Marion
Fly/In-Cruise/In!
Knoxville, TN
MCAS Cherry Point, NC
Saint Louis, MO
CFB Trenton, ONT
Thunder Over Michigan, Bellevue, MI
Marion, IN
Waukegan, IL
NAS Patuxent River, MD |