THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN 2012

I'll go for about anything vintage or modern as long as it is military - if it is civilian, it has to be classic (ie like a Constellation or that DC-7 that came a couple years back).

[size=150]No Pitts or Extra 300s or whatever other aerobatic trick planes there are. Not into psuedo warbirds either like Navions painted like a warbird or L-39s painted like an American fighter jet[/size], or a rediculous amount of L birds.

Can I get an Amen from the congregation?

Mudge the purist

AMEN from me!

Last edited by jwc50 on Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:23 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'll go for about anything vintage or modern as long as it is military - if it is civilian, it has to be classic (ie like a Constellation or that DC-7 that came a couple years back).

No Pitts or Extra 300s or whatever other aerobatic trick planes there are. Not into psuedo warbirds either like Navions painted like a warbird or L-39s painted like an American fighter jet, or a rediculous amount of L birds.

We are pretty much in agreement on everything except I would rather not see any L-39's regardless of paint scheme and I don't mind "modern" civilian if it's something like Boeing 747's, Airbus A380's and stuff like that....but not so much at a warbird show like Thunder Over Michigan.

[Boeing666]

Too add to the realism of the ground battle they have included a wrecked Beech (18?), see their FB page. More planes arrived today B-25 Georgie's Gal, P-51C Tuskegee Airmen, and another D model Mustang. I'm ready for the weekend.

They are already there a week ahead? Is there going to be anything left to arrive on Friday for arrivals day? I don't get up there until Thursday night. I was hoping to get Georgies Gal arriving since that is a B-25 I don't have yet.

Too add to the realism of the ground battle they have included a wrecked Beech (18?), see their FB page. More planes arrived today B-25 Georgie's Gal, P-51C Tuskegee Airmen, and another D model Mustang. I'm ready for the weekend.

They are already there a week ahead? Is there going to be anything left to arrive on Friday for arrivals day? I don't get up there until Thursday night. I was hoping to get Georgies Gal arriving since that is a B-25 I don't have yet.

I made a similar comment on their Facebook page. 2 F/A-18C Hornets dfrom NAS Lemoore in CA arrived today also. Not too concerned about seeing Hornets on Arrival Friday, but I have a feeling based on announced aircraft at this point that this year's Arrival/Taxiway Photography Day may not be as interesting or dramatic as last year or the last few years.

Well at least Georgie's Gal and the other 2 B-25's are supposed to fly in the show Sat. and Sun.

UPDATE on Georgie's Gal: This was posted on the Thunder Facebook page by someone I assume is associated with the airplane:

Paul Draper: We'll be bringing the b-25 back in on Friday for a proper arrival!

[Boeing666]

From a photographer's point of view (and that being perfect conditions like sunny and a southwest wind so we can sit along Ecorse Rd) the arrivals are no where near as good - because there are a lot of smaller planes this year. P-51s often arrive high or make very short finals as I have noticed in the past - coming right down Ecorse before making their turn onto Runway 23L. That is one reason I do like some of the modern planes for arrivals day because they make for great arrivals pictures like the P-3s last year, the C-2, F-5s, Texan IIs, F-16s, Ospreys, E-6 and the year before with the KC-135, KC-10, T-43, C-130, as well as the bigger warbirds like all the B-17s, B-24 as well as the DC-7 airliner 2 years ago and the Catalina, C-1, Mig-21, A-4 last year as well as low approach from the Helldiver.

This year there aren't as many bigger planes or ones that tend to do low approaches. So far the only modern planes have arrived already, choppers are iffy on how they approach. A couple years back the MH-53 came in really nice over Ecorsse, the last couple years it arrived either at night or day before. Of course Fifi, Yankee Warrior and Yankee Lady will go up a few times. The F-86 should make a nice approach, I assume the Harrier too. The other 2 B-25s should make good approaches. It is hard to say with the P-38 or P-47 on what kind of approach they make

[TOM WALSH]

I don't believe the two USN F/A-18C Hornets from VFA-113 "Stingers" arrived today!

I do believe they checked in today to confirm their attendance at the show.

Lets just wait for Friday and see how it all unfolds. As to which runways they will use for recovery, well thats up to the weather and the controllers.

Cheers,

Tom Walsh.

I don't believe the two USN F/A-18C Hornets from VFA-113 "Stingers" arrived today!

I do believe they checked in today to confirm their attendance at the show.

Lets just wait for Friday and see how it all unfolds. As to which runways they will use for recovery, well thats up to the weather and the controllers.

Cheers,

Tom Walsh.

Good point, Tom! We may have jumped to conclusion on the VFA-113 Hornets. Hopefully we will see some good arrivals on Friday and a great show this coming Saturday and Sunday!

[Boeing666]

Weather forecast calls for partly cloudy 93 degrees winds out of the southwest for Friday. So it looks like another year spotting on Ecorse Friday. No Blue Angels this year so they won't close that section off. I always like to go Friday on Ecorse, go in the show on Saturday and then Sunday back on Ecorse to the get the planes from different angles and not backlit in the afternoon, then rushing to the other side to catch them departing after the show.

Its gonna be a hot one again. I was hoping to come up to cooler weather but its going to be hotter up there again I guess - not as bad as last year though where it was too hot for this Florida boy.

[Paul Draper]

They are already there a week ahead? Is there going to be anything left to arrive on Friday for arrivals day? I don't get up there until Thursday night. I was hoping to get Georgies Gal arriving since that is a B-25 I don't have yet.

Well at least Georgie's Gal and the other 2 B-25's are supposed to fly in the show Sat. and Sun.

UPDATE on Georgie's Gal: This was posted on the Thunder Facebook page by someone I assume is associated with the airplane:

Paul Draper: We'll be bringing the b-25 back in on Friday for a proper arrival!

That was me! I will be in the right seat flying Georgie's Gal up to YIP from her home at PCW on Friday. We stopped in YIP on Sunday to pick up the pilot of the Red Tail P-51C and take him home to PCW.

[Boeing666]

Any plans right now of what time you will be arriving with Georgie's Gal? Early morning or later in the afternoon?

I'm thinking also the arrivals will be spread about more on Friday than they have in years past. Reasons being no Blue Angels or modern jet teams practicing during the day which would close off the airspace for about 3 hours. You would often get a big rush of warbirds coming in before 1pm before airspace closed and another big rush after the military practices were done in the later afternoon.

[Todd Hackbarth]

Again this year, I have put together a detailed listing of the Thunder Over Michigan Expected Aircraft Participants.

For each expected aircraft participant, the following details are given: aircraft type, name, markings, color scheme, civilian registration, operator/owner, home base and expected level of participation (ie. static display, aerobatic demonstration, aerial demonstration, etc.).

It is very similar to last year's listing which can be seen here:
http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37506&start=270 scroll down

If you would like a copy of the 2012 listing, send me a PM with your email address and I will send it off to you.

Todd Hackbarth
Yankee Air Force member since 1982

[seabee1526]

Here are some updates

British Aerospace Sea Harrier FA2
Nalls Aviation

North American Aviation A-36A Apache "Baby Carmen"
Collings Foundation

North American Aviation P-51B Mustang "Old Crow"
Jack Roush

North American Aviation P-51C Mustang "Red Tail"
Commemorative Air Force – Minnesota Wing

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Gunfighter" (Book a ride!)
Larry Lumpkin

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Moonbeam McSwine"
Vlado Lenoch

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Charlotte’s Chariot II"
Dan Fordice

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Worry Bird"
Mike George

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Cincinnati Miss"
Tri-State Warbird Museum

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Sweetie Face"
Tom Patten

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Baby Duck"
Warbird Heritage Foundation

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "The Rebel"
Classic Fighters of America

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Aint Misbavin"
Wes Stowers

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Red Nose"
Commemorative Air Force – Dixie Wing

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "The Brat III"
Cavanaugh Flight Museum

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Petie 2nd"
Tony Buechler

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Big Beautiful Doll"
Mike Henningsen

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Gentleman Jim"
Jack Roush

North American Aviation P-51D Mustang "Old Crow"
Jim Hagedorn

Lockheed P-38L Lightning "RUFF STUFF"
Ron Fagen

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "Hun Hunter XVI"
Neal Melton

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt "Wicked Wabbit"
John Schoffner

Boeing B-29 Superfortress "FIFI" (Book a ride!)
Commemorative Air Force – B-29/B-24 Squadron

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress "Yankee Lady" (Book a ride!)
Yankee Air Museum

North American Aviation B-25J Mitchell "Georgie’s Gal"
Liberty Aviation Museum

North American Aviation B-25D Mitchell "Yankee Warrior" (Book a ride!)
Yankee Air Museum

North American Aviation B-25J Mitchell "Briefing Time"
Mid Atlantic Air Museum

Vought F4U-5N Corsair
Dave Folk

North American Aviation F-86F Sabre "Smokey”
Warbird Heritage Foundation

Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros
Nalls Aviation

Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros
Ron Staley

Douglas C-47D Skytrain "Yankee Doodle Dandy"
Yankee Air Museum

Beech AT-11 Kansan
Darrell Berry

North American Aviation T-6 Texan
Bob Pingston

North American Aviation T-6 Texan “Miss TLC/Precious”
John Feldvary

North American Aviation T-6 Texan
Roger Schlueter

North American Aviation T-6 Texan
Walt Gdowski

North American Aviation Harvard
CHAA - Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association

North American Aviation Harvard
CHAA - Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association

North American Aviation Harvard
CHAA - Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association

North American Aviation Harvard
CHAA - Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association

Vultee BT-13 Valiant “Grace”
Michael Kennedy

Vultee SNV-1 Valiant
Bruce Koch

Boeing PT-17 Stearman
Dave & Deb Groh

Boeing PT-17 Stearman
Christopher Dackson

Naval Aircraft Factory N3N Yellow Peril
Bill Hirzel

Fairchild PT-19A
Leslie Day

Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk – HSC-28 “Dragon Whales”
NAS Norfolk, VA

Eurocopter HH-65C Dolphin
CGAS Detroit, MI

Boeing F/A-18E Hornet – VFA-105 “Gunslingers”
NAS Oceana, VA

Boeing F/A-18E Hornet – VFA-106 “Gladiators”
NAS Oceana, VA

Boeing F/A-18C Hornet – VFA-113 “Stingers”
NAS Lemoore, CA

Boeing F/A-18C Hornet – VFA-113 “Stingers”
NAS Lemoore, CA

Boeing F/A-18F Hornet – VFA-213 “Black Lions”
NAS Oceana, VA

Northrop F-5E Tiger II – VFC-13 “Saints”
NAS Fallon, NV

Raytheon T-6A Texan II – 559th FTS “Billy Goats”
Randolph AFB, TX

[BK]

I would just like to say that my home state of Tennessee (not known for being a warbird mecca) is sending 6 planes to Thunder this year, 2 Thunderbolts, 2 Mustangs, 1 BT-13, and 1 AT-11.

Last edited by BK on Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Here are some updates


Beech AT-11 Kansan
Darrell Berry

Naval Aircraft Factory N3N Yellow Peril
Bill Hirzel

Vought F4U-5N Corsair
Dave Folk

Boeing F/A-18E Hornet – VFA-105 “Gunslingers”
NAS Oceana, VA

Boeing F/A-18E Hornet – VFA-106 “Gladiators”
NAS Oceana, VA

Northrop F-5E Tiger II – VFC-13 “Saints”
NAS Fallon, NV

Thanks for the updates. Looks like a few more aircraft added to the list that weren't there before. Hope the F-5E Tiger II from Fallon arrives on Friday!

Last edited by jwc50 on Tue Jul 31, 2012 3:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[TOM WALSH]

I'm impressed!!

5 Hornets from 4 Squadrons representing 3 variants.

Works for me.

Cheers,

Tom Walsh