Mystery Photo Album #4 - Early Geneseo Air Show

Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:27 pm

Tom Roberts donated the photos that have prompted me to create Mystery Album #4. Here are a few teasers...

EDIT: The photos have been moved to...
http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Travelogue.html#1982

These shots were definitely taken at one of the Geneseo Air Shows, likely hosted by the National Warplane Museum. I have no idea which year. Does anyone here have any ideas? I am looking forward to any tips or suggestions you may have.

Mike

Last edited by mrhenniger on Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Mon Jun 11, 2007 1:44 pm

Afraid I can't be too much help other than to say it was prior to 1993 because the CWH Avenger was lost in the hangar fire that year.

Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:13 pm

I definitely know it was before 1987. It could be one of their first shows maybe 82 or 83?

Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:58 pm

These would be before 1987 as that was the first year I attended and it was a rainy damp year. These photos show the old runway that aimed more at the town and almost parallel to the road and hangars. I would even say it was before they got the B-17 in 1986 as I can’t really see the structure they built to put it in for the winter.

Eric

Mon Jun 11, 2007 3:10 pm

My guess is very early 80s, as it appears to be only CWH aircraft at the show. I think the first show was either in 1980 or 1979. By 82 or 83 other aircraft besides the CWH fleet were attending.

Jim

Mon Jun 11, 2007 3:33 pm

If you look at the aerial photo (in the album) with the struts in the picture you can see about 12 more aircraft, most look to be primary trainers and such. I missed these the first time I looked too.

Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:14 am

Ryan Keough wrote:The Geneseo photos are (I think) 1982... based on the fact that the old runway was being used, the small number of warbirds, the heavy CWH participation and the fact the T-Hangar wasn't enclosed at the time... what a blast from the past!

It looks like many are enjoying these pics. Good to hear, I have a few more mystery albums in the queue along with a large number of photos yet to be scanned.

I would say from the comments that the best guess is Geneseo 1982.

BTW... Also to the credit of Tom Roberts, I have a Geneseo 1981 album. It may be found at via...

http://www.aerialvisuals.ca/Travelogue.html#1981

...or you can go directly to it at...

http://rides.webshots.com/album/557616163kUKSAQ

I would rule out the possibilty that Mystery Album #4 is 1981 since the Anson is in the shots from 1981 and it doesn't appear in the assumed 1982 album.

Were the shows back then in the fall?

Mike

Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:20 am

Yes, the shows back in the early days were in the Fall... and it gave birth to the famous Geneseo Pumpkin Drop. Later, when the shows were moved to August, and then later when HAG moved them to July... it became the Watermelon drop.

Fall shows were really impressive as the entire field was surrounded by cornstalks... thus giving birth to the term "Geneseo's Cornfield Airshow" for many years.