Ray Fagen Memorial Airshow

[Dan K]

Just a few odds & ends on my phone from Saturday:

[kalamazookid]

Looks like a great show! I've visited the museum and it seems like the airport and museum would be just about the perfect place for a warbird show. I loved the period control tower, the briefing room and the extensive depth of some of the museum displays, not to mention the outstanding collection of warbirds. I was hoping to attend the airshow this year, but it just didn't work out with the some of the other things I wanted to do this summer. Maybe in two years.

Did the Wildcat fly? I think that Wildcat is the only one capable of the "shotgun" style start. That would be interesting to see in person.

Would love to see more pics from anyone who attended.

[4RG.I.'S]

It was a great show, and a very nice museum! A little concerned as we were driving through large thunderstorms most of the time between the Twin Cities and Granite Falls but the weather mostly cleared as we got there. A little windy but the sky was blue and filled with warbirds.
A Minnesota Fathers Day warbird/aviation weekend for me (my son lives is St. Paul).
Thursday, day 1: Minnesota ANG Museum in St. Paul, B-52 burgers and Brew in Inver Grove for lunch, Wings of the North Museum in Eden Prairie.
Friday was a 4+ hour drive for a tour of AirCorps Aviation in Bemidji, and topped it off with drinks back in St. Paul at Tattersall distillery in Minneapolis which is in a former Norden bombsite factory.
Saturday was the Fagen Fighters airshow, back to St. Paul to have dinner and drinks at Holman's table. It's a restaurant in the old St. Paul airport terminal with tables on the patio overlooking the taxiway!

[Dan K]

Did the Wildcat fly? I think that Wildcat is the only one capable of the "shotgun" style start. That would be interesting to see in person.

Yes, Evan Fagen put on a spirited display with the Wildcat.

The shotgun starter was replaced when ownership changed to the Fagens.

[jdeters79]

A few of my favorite shots my son and I took at the show. Full album here for anyone interested;

https://flic.kr/s/aHskA26ar8

[JohnB]

Great looking SNJ!
Also, nice two-tone P-40.

Minnesota seems to have a lot going on warbird-wise.

On my last visit, I had an appointment at Lesauer, home of Scott'S Helicopter Servce which now owns the Bell 47 type certificate and is now making some hard to find parts available to owners, designing upgrades for existing aircraft while preparing to start production on new build aircraft.
Additionally, they have B/ C UH-1 as part of their charter fleet along with several 47s/H-13s used for AG work.

When I contacted them beforehand, they were surprised anyone would want to visit, but I found it fascinating to see their operation and meeting the engineer responsible for getting the parts and designs done (and legal with the Fed's) while supporting a historic type/warbird. The engineer, a former Luftwaffe flight test engineer, and Scott Churchill himself, were very kind in allowing me to visit.

Next time I'm in the area, I want to visit the Fargo museum and see their Standard J-1, which was restored and flew quite a bit in the 70s.

Also, the P-51 on a pole (along with various jets and a KC-97) was fun to visit at Volkswagen Field, a Wisconsin ANG base just off I-90.

[4RG.I.'S]

Great looking SNJ!

Also, the P-51 on a pole (along with various jets and a KC-97) was fun to visit at Volkswagen Field, a Wisconsin ANG base just off I-90.

That would be Volk Field and Camp Douglas, the Wisconsin National Guard Museum... Just off of I-94.

[Dan K]

Also, the P-51 on a pole (along with various jets and a KC-97) was fun to visit at Volkswagen Field, a Wisconsin ANG base just off I-90.

I, too, used to love visiting Volkswagen Field as a kid and watching various ANG units rotate through this base for training.

Just a couple of formation takeoff pics. The low pass shot is not mine, but captures some of the warm memories I have of the place.

[Dan K]

Next time I'm in the area, I want to visit the Fargo museum and see their Standard J-1, which was restored and flew quite a bit in the 70s.

John, if you're willing to travel all the way to Fargo for a static J-1, you must be seriously into golden age stuff.

Seriously, if you get to the Twin Cities area again you must make arrangements to visit Greg Herrick's Golden Wings Museum in Anoka. The photos at the museum link don't do this place justice:

http://www.goldenwingsmuseum.com/

I haven't been up there since summer of 2017, and since the collection is still up for sale (or at least according to Platinum) I'm not exactly sure what accessibility is like. I suppose you could always say you're an interested buyer.

http://www.platinumfighters.com/goldenwingsmuseum


If you wind up at Scott's Helicopter again, it's only about a 45-minute drive from there over to RARE aircraft in Faribault...can't imagine you wouldn't enjoy checking out the magic show they perform on old airframes.

http://rareaircraft.com/

[jdeters79]

Great looking SNJ!

They received two awards at AirVenture 2017 for their SNJ-4, "Bundle Buggy". Most Authentic Restoration and a Phoenix Award. It is a beautiful airplane.

https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/eaa-airventure-oshkosh/07-29-2017-2017-lindy-award-winners-announced#warbird

[JohnB]

I hate this tablet's auto correct. It corrects you even if you're not wrong.

Yes, I should have gone to Herrick's museum....I do love the "golden age" stuff. Often they're rarer than a warbird, perhaps less historic or well known, but important in its own way.

[Dan K]

Almost forgot that Kermit Weeks' S-38 is having work done in Owatonna (another 15 minutes south of Faribault). Rumor has it KW is swinging through this way after OSH, so if you time it just right...

...free rum samples.





(Of course, if you ever want to look at old TBY stuff...)

[Vagabond]

Hello,

I’ve posted a couple of gallery of images and video from the Friday 6/15/18 Practice Day of the Fagen Fighters airshow. We couldn’t make the Saturday show but Friday was a blast. Lots of flying!

Airshow Link:

https://www.vgbimages.com/AirShows/2018 ... N/n-5xVnzg

Action & Flying Gallery:

https://www.vgbimages.com/AirShows/2018 ... 8/n-JWkNdV

Static Gallery:

https://www.vgbimages.com/AirShows/2018 ... s/n-QzGwpD

Action/Flying Teasers:


























Statics Teaser:

[Rob W]

I've got to add this one to the list...