I can't complain, I got a free ticket and parking this year. The last couple years the highlight for me is arrivals day when you see the static displays come in like the A400, the RCAF CC-130 and CC-142. It was really strange, hardly anything arrived all morning on Friday before the practice. Usually there is a rush between 10-12 of arrivals and another around 4pm after they open the field back up for arrivals. Might have been 4-5 aircraft that came in before they closed the field but it seemed like the busiest time was between 5-6pm with the A400, 3 C-47s a couple Mustangs, a skyraider, the CC-142. I guess the Super Hornets didn't arrive until Sunday because they weren't there Saturday. The C-46 arrived during the show Saturday bit didn't fly. I still haven't gotten Tinker Belle flying, but at least she showed up this year when she canceled out in previous years. I agree prices have gone up and quality down, but I can't say much since I didn't pay this year. My favorite TOM years were 2005 and 2010 with the EIGHT B-17s plus B-24s, 2009 with the RAF aircraft, F-4 and Skyraiders. 2011 with the Navy. Despite the decline since 2011, I would have to say 2015 was a good year with Fifi, a couple B-17s, the JU-52, the PB4Y (first time I seen one fly) Lancaster, A-26 a couple new B-25s I never seen. I know they need to bring Thunderbirds or Blue Angels to draw the crowds, but it seems like 2016 and 2017 we have moved away from the warbirds. This year only one jet flew (F-86) besides the Blue Angels. The C-47 parachute drop was the highlight of this year although cool to see the P-40B. I wish the show could go back to early August like in the old days when it could grab stuff after Oshkosh. This year Oshkosh had good stuff like several B-25s for the Doolittle Raiders 75th anniversary, the A-20, two B-29s, three P-63s and a P-39, 3 F-86s, that oddball YL-15, B-17 Madras Maiden. That would have been great, but to be honest most of the people in the crowd this year couldn't tell you the difference between a P-51 and a P-38. It seemed to be the kind of crowd that would get more excited by the Shockwave Jet truck more than anything else.
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