Warbird Information Exchange

All,

The dates for THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN 2013 will be June 15th & 16th.
The theme will be Vietnam.

More to come soon!

http://www.yankeeairmuseum.org/airshow/

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Michael Luther
Yankee Air Museum's
Air Show Director
THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN

Let the hotel reservations begin.

This is the same weekend as the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum show. Not sure what the theme of TOM will be but it may be tough to get CWH, CHAA or VWofC stuff if TOM theme involves these types. Not complaining one bit as I am sure Kevin and Michael will put together a stellar lineup and I am stoked about the reason for the June dates.

Cheers,

Jeff

JUNE??????

Same weekend as the Indianapolis ( Mt. Comfort) airshow.

The CWHM's Lancaster has been a very infrequent visitor to Thunder, so it is unlikely that it would have come there anyway. And I doubt if T.O.M. is looking at a British or Commonwealth type theme in any case.

I am hoping that Thunder is still looking at a possible Korean War or Korea/Cold War type theme for 2013, but I guess we will see.

All 3 shows (Thunder, Indianapolis and CWHM/Hamilton) have somewhat of a warbirds emphasis - Indianapolis less so than the other two but still significant. This could impact the availability of a particular warbird for Thunder but I hope that having the Thunderbirds (assuming this is true) will produce the potential revenue to the YAM to allow them to attract and field a strong and varied prop and jet warbird assortment for the show.

Look forward to hearing the planned theme or themes soon and more information about what is planned for June.

Hello all, our nascent museum in Detroit (World Heritage Air Museum) intends to bring several cold war era jets to the Thunder over Michigan.

These will include:

Aero Vodochody L29
Temco Super Pinto
Hispano Aviacion Saeta
De Havilland Vampire
Fouga Magister

And possibly our MiG 15

Thanks

Marty Tibbitts

Sounds interesting, Marty. I see from the other thread that the Super Pinto is a flyer. Are any of the other airplanes flyers and can we expect flying at the show or just statics?

I hate saying anything negative, especially about Yankee as they have done so much to pull the Phoenix from the flames. However... I have to say... scheduling a major warbird airshow on the same weekend as another, where there are only 3 or 4 in a season that could be attended (from at least my geographical perspective) just doesn't make sense. If Yankee scheduled the week after Hamilton I would consider taking the week off work to do both and have some fun touring around between them. The way it is now, I need to choose. Hamilton 5 hours way, Willow Run 9 hours. Hamilton wins.

Mike

_________________
Mike R. Henniger
Aviation Enthusiast & Photographer
http://www.AerialVisuals.ca
http://www.facebook.com/AerialVisuals

Do you want to find locations of displayed, stored or active aircraft? Then start with the The Locator.
Do you want to find or contribute to the documented history of an aircraft? If so then start with the Airframes Database.

I hear you, Mike! I am sure you are not the only one who will have to choose one or the other unfortunately. If both Hamilton and Thunder look good, I may try to do Thunder on Friday/Saturday and Hamilton on Sunday, but I know that would not be an option for many.

It's tough finding a date that will fit a jet team. Many shows move a date to accommodate the scheduling of the big teams.
I don't have any idea if that is what caused the date move, but I don't blame them for having the same date as other shows.
The crowds will show for the T-Birds and that brings in needed dollars.
Tough decision for us "Warbird" people, but the local population that feeds the larger attendance is what will keep TOM going for next year. IMHO.
Jerry

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."

No argument with anything you said, Jerry. There is no doubt that the average person within a 30-50 mile+or- radius, and not the hardcore warbird fans and/or photographers are what can bring in the biggest dollars. But that being said, the shows like this have to put on a good WARBIRD show to keep those of us who are hard core coming back and willing to put up dollars for hotels, restaurants, gas, airline tickets, photo tours, photo pits, etc. year after year......

Looking forward to the show!

Unfortunately, people like us are not the group that pays the bills at airshows. I understand that the majority of money comes from locals and people looking to do something (anything!) with the family. No doubt that people like us are considered when shows are planned and people try to accomodate our wishes. But it's the Thunderbirds and that sort of stuff that brings mom, dad and the kids in the gate. "WE" are such a tiny drop in the bucket.

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Ben

Michael Luther, Kevin Walsh, etc, have proven time and again that people like "us" ARE considered when trying to put this show together. What you say about the Thunderbirds, etc. is true, but there are hundreds of other air shows all over the country that just cater to the locals, Moms and Dads, etc. This show has always stood out as unique because of its WARBIRD emphasis. I am confident that this will be a good warbird show and I know that the organizers will do whatever they possibly can to bring a great cross section of warbirds in June. I think "WE" are more than a tiny drop in the bucket when it comes to this show. I hope I am proved right again.

The de-emphasis of single ship civilian non-warbird aerobatics, jet trucks and school buses, etc. are part of what makes this a unique and special air show. You can see plenty of those at a LOT of other shows.

Look forward to hearing the planned theme or themes.

ICAS will probably back up my point about who goes to airshows and why. If it didn't matter, groups wouldn't have to move airshow dates around to accomodate the major jet teams. I'm not bad mouthing TOM at all, far from it in fact. I'm a big fan of warbird themed shows and will return to TOM at every opportunity. Jet teams have no draw for me and if I had to choose between a show featuring one and a show featuring mostly warbirds, I'll go for the warbirds every time. In this case (without seeing the line up and assuming it features the Thunderbirds) I'd have to choose CWH over TOM on that weekend.

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Ben

Ben, we are on the same page. I did not argue your point about the majority of people who got to air shows. And we both are big fans of warbird themed shows and and neither of us are drawn to air shows by a major jet team. I am willing to put up with a jet team if I like the warbird lineup. I went to the CWHM Show at Hamilton last year for the first time and it was a great show. And of course they had a major jet team also (Snowbirds) and I assume may very well have them again.

I hope both shows have great warbird lineups in 2013 and as I mentioned in an earlier post, if the lineups warrant I may try to make both shows. Hopefully the scheduling of both these shows on the same weekend (not to mention Indianapolis) will not happen again for a long time.