05-03-08 Temple, TX air show photos

Sun May 04, 2008 7:50 am

I just wanted to post a few of my photos from yesterday afternoon's Temple air show. My wife was back at home with our good SLR camera – she has a side business taking pictures and had a shoot that day - so I was forced to use the old Kodak point and shoot. I didn’t get the best photos that I wanted, but what can you do?

The air show was great fun, well worth the 70 minute drive to get there. The Vietnam era demo was by far my favorite of the show. Rick Sharpe was excellent as ever with this Skyraider flying. Loved the to see the Huey buzzing around. I enjoyed the Cavanaugh OV-1 taking part in the action. Randy Ball’s MIG-17 was really awesome to see up close taxing by and flying overhead.

About the only disappointing thing was that the Collin’s Foundation F-4 didn’t show. Does anyone know why? It was a shame not to hear the roar of those twin J-79s…

Enough talk, on to the photos:

Some of the “Tora, Tora, Tora” guys

A few miscellaneous shots

Another favorite – the “Spirit of Waco”

Randy’s MIG taxing by

The Cavanaugh OV-1

This O-2 was there and it even taxied out on the runway, but I never saw it in the air? Did she have problems and have to turn around?

Some action shots of Rick’s Huey during the "battle"

And Rick himself in the A-1

I've got more photos but these were most of the ones I liked the best. Hope the other WIXs that were going to go went and had a good time as well!

Sun May 04, 2008 8:00 am

The Collings F-4 was never scheduled to be there. We are getting it ready to fly next Saturday. It will be its first FCF after the FODed engine was replaced.

Sun May 04, 2008 8:02 am

Great pictures for a point and shoot! Post more please! Any other bombers or fighters there?
Thanks.

Sun May 04, 2008 8:10 am

RickH wrote:The Collings F-4 was never scheduled to be there. We are getting it ready to fly next Saturday. It will be its first FCF after the FODed engine was replaced.

Really? The event calendar for the show had an F-4 demo as one of the events there and it never showed. I just assumed that it was you guys as who else could it be?? My apologizes Rick! That's what I get for assuming once again

Sun May 04, 2008 8:18 am

The USAF is pushing the drone F-4s. Originally they were only supposed to fly Heritage, but over the years they have added appearances and they are flying our demo. One of the guys flying the drone F-4s told someone I know that the USAF F-4s are out flying for free to keep the CF F-4 off of the airshow circuit. Oh well, they are a dwindling commodity and we have enough local training flights backlogged to keep us busy until next year.

Sun May 04, 2008 8:23 am

Here's a shot of a replica build, don't know much about it

Sun May 04, 2008 8:30 am

That airplane was built as an NA-50 replica, but is now being called a P-64. It was originally started by Les Crowder and then finished up by Ezell Aviation. I worked on that airplane a fair amount while at Nelson's place, but most of the modification work had already been done by Les Crowder when we got it. It started out as an AT-6, but had the wings shortened, rudder enlarged, T-33 wheels installed, and an R-1820 bolted to the front. The firewall forward is a booger to work on, but I'm told the airplane is a real hoot to fly.

Gary

Sun May 04, 2008 8:54 pm

The NA-50/P-64 replica is not real fast as fighters go, but Oh how that baby can climb.

Sun May 04, 2008 9:08 pm

Thanks to everybody that posted and showed Photos I had to work this past weekend

sounds lke I missed a great sho

again ! Oh well maybe next Year I do have my sights set on Thunder :wink:

Sun May 04, 2008 9:09 pm

I think that's Bill Sugarek's. It was at Lone Star's airshow last year.

Doug

Sun May 04, 2008 9:31 pm

The camo O2-B taxied out a bit early on Saturday and rear engine overheated and had oil oressure drop so he scrubbed his flight. I arrived from Dyess show late Sat evening and both O-2s were able to fly in the Nam portion today (Sunday). The Spooky also came from Dyess to fly in the routine today. There was lots of action. The Huey, an O-1, two O-2s, the Spooky, the Mohawk, the A-26 and the Skyraider. Ground reenactors and great pyro. We had fun today and the crowd seemed to really enjoy. Just as an aside, I had a couple of the FAA monitors came over and gve me an 9.5 on the performance.....hmmmmmmm.......wonder if that means the same as in skating performances if it's the Feds....LOL.

Sun May 04, 2008 9:40 pm

Obergrafeter wrote:The NA-50/P-64 replica is not real fast as fighters go, but Oh how that baby can climb.

Ober, is that's Pat bird??

Lynn

Sun May 04, 2008 11:08 pm

Excellent Weekend, Excellent Show and fun to fly in it.

Doug flew the Mohawk on both days, and I was the A.S.S. in the Mohawk on the Saturday and then "JT" (from Ricks crew) and I swapped, and I did the Huey and he was Mohawk A.S.S. for the Sunday show.

Even with 2 sets of eyes in the Mohawk or Huey, sometimes it doesn't seem enough. Your head ends up on a swivle most of the time trying to keep track of who is up high, who is down low, who is in a racetrack, who is in a duster turn, keeping outside the 500 or 1000 foot lines and also dealing with the pyro smoke. Thank God, Doug, Rick, Les, Joe, Karen, etc, etc, are all dam* good pilots!

If any of the Temple Air show organisers/flightline crew/pyro team/performers etc are WIX members or lurkers, I would just like to give a very hearty "thank you" for what was an excellent, very enjoyable weekend, and I would especially like to thank Doug and Rick for all the flight and stick time over the weekend. I had a blast!

Julian

Sun May 04, 2008 11:13 pm

Ober, is that's Pat bird??

Was Pat's, now Sugarek's. It was recently advertised for sale...

Mon May 05, 2008 6:46 am

LadyO2Pilot wrote:The camo O2-B taxied out a bit early on Saturday and rear engine overheated and had oil oressure drop so he scrubbed his flight. I arrived from Dyess show late Sat evening and both O-2s were able to fly in the Nam portion today (Sunday). The Spooky also came from Dyess to fly in the routine today. There was lots of action. The Huey, an O-1, two O-2s, the Spooky, the Mohawk, the A-26 and the Skyraider. Ground reenactors and great pyro. We had fun today and the crowd seemed to really enjoy. Just as an aside, I had a couple of the FAA monitors came over and gve me an 9.5 on the performance.....hmmmmmmm.......wonder if that means the same as in skating performances if it's the Feds....LOL.

Oh man, I knew I should have gone on Sunday too!!

How was the Dyess show?