Warbirds Over the Beach!

VaBeachEd · **Joined:** Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:03 pm **Posts:** 107

The Military Aviation Museum's show in Virginia Beach is this weekend! The weather is looking good, and it will be a heckuva show! Come on out to see a BUNCH of warbirds go flying! See you there.

Fearless Tower · **Joined:** Thu May 26, 2011 5:14 pm **Posts:** 365

Wish I could! Won't be moving back to Norfolk, VA until mid-July.....but I'll be there next year!

HPDCapt · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 3:10 pm

I will be there both days if it doesn't rain. Glad to hear the forecast is good. This will be my second time for this show, was there in 2009 and Sunday was rained out.

6trn4brn · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 2:58 am

Trying desperately hard to get my work caught up so I can make it at least Saturday!

VaBeachEd...did you say in an earlier post that you will be one of the Red Shirt ground controllers? Would like to meet ya if I can make it.

VaBeachEd · **Joined:** Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:03 pm **Posts:** 107

I'll be there Fri, Sat and Sun. Just look for an old guy working his tail off for no pay, wearing a red shirt that says "Fighter Factory Crew" on the front, and "Aircraft Logistics" on the back. (Wait - that description won't help much - that pretty much describes all the handlers!! :-)

There are 6 of us volunteers that are qualified to handle the aircraft - we'll be out there all weekend - stop by and say hi!

Russ Blow · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 11:37 pm

I might fly the L 4 over from Suffolk depending on the weather. Right now sounds like the winds might kick up a bit one forecast is calling for winds 040 15 to 20 with peak gusts around 30. If thats the case I will just hover on in.

6trn4brn · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 2:19 am

Saw the same forecast Russ :cry:

Russ Blow · **Posted:** Fri May 18, 2012 12:34 pm

Well I had a chance a little while ago to go up and the winds at oceana were 040 at 21G27 and it was pretty choppy around here. Wind was right down the runway at SFQ so my L 4 only had to roll a few feet on landing but she got beat up pretty good in the turbulence. Over at VB Airport that would give you around a 20 knot gusty 70 degree x wind. If it stays like this will they be flying anything?

I have never flown anything heavy so I dont know what their x wind components are.

VaBeachEd · **Joined:** Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:03 pm **Posts:** 107

After talking with several museum colleagues, we have come to one undeniable conclusion. Mother Nature sucks. She rained us out of the Flying Proms, made it too windy to fly some of the smaller aircraft on Saturday, and rained us out on Sunday. She is definitely off my Christmas card list, and ON my "Excremental Roster".

lmritger · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 12:23 pm

The Saturday show looked well attended from my perspective over in the USAAF camp, and with the 262 making it's debut (albeit somewhat far away), it was definitely a NO-MISS event! Couldn't make it back for Sunday as my daughter's been feeling ill all weekend and CINCHOME required my assistance, but I am very glad I made it out for Saturday.

Still trying to figure out why us Allied re-enactors were outnumbered by Krauts by at least 2 to 1... I thought we came out first in that little throwdown back in the 40s?

Lynn

sandiego89 · **Joined:** Mon May 21, 2012 12:28 pm **Posts:** 1195

lmritger wrote:

and with the 262 making it's debut (albeit somewhat far away), it was definitely a NO-MISS event!

Can you please give some more info on the 262 debut- fly past only? I really wanted to attend again this year as I could not resist the thought of the 262 flying, but Sunday was my only available day, and I knew from the forecast my hopes were dim. Sure enough I knew early Sunday it would be a washout.

Similar lineup to the the 2011 event?

Thanks to all the organizers and volunteers- it is a great event. Hoping for the 262 AND the Mosquito in 2013!

VaBeachEd · **Joined:** Mon Aug 30, 2010 4:03 pm **Posts:** 107

The ME-262 did a 3 very nice passes along the show line. There has to be a setback (500ft?) from the crowd, so you're right, it did seem a bit far away. Wolfgang Czaia (sp?) flew her during the show - he's the chief test pilot for the whole 262 program. She is staying over in Suffolk VA, at the Fighter Factory's "other" site - at least for the time being. Since the runway at the Military Aviation Museum in Va. Beach is grass, and presumably, counts as FOD! It was definitely very cool to see one of those (even a replica) in the air again!

The rest of the show Saturday went pretty well, considering the 17+ kts crosswind. We were able to fly (you may now begin to drool in envy if you weren't there to see....) The FG-1D Corsair, the Mustang, the Val (replica from Tora, Tora, Tora) B-25, B-17, PBY, Avenger, SNJ-4, and the 262. Scheduled to fly but couldn't because of the crosswinds - FW-190, Hurricane, Spitfire, P-40, Wildcat. The C-46 couldn't drop her stick of paratroopers either.
The Lancaster is still OOC, but hopefully will be back up for the Hamilton Ontario show is June. The CWH museum sent their Fairey Firefly in lieu of the Lanc. All in all, considering, it was a great show!

sandiego89 · **Joined:** Mon May 21, 2012 12:28 pm **Posts:** 1195

Thank you for the overview VAbeachEd. A real shame about the cross winds and rain.

I was there in 2011, so saw most of those (except the 262 of course!) and really enjoyed the event. The 190 and the Lancaster were a real treat for me personally as I had never seen either fly. Best part is being so close to the main grass runway for takeoff/landing.

Really hope to see more of the 262 in the local area.

K5DH · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 4:26 pm

lmritger wrote:

Still trying to figure out why us Allied re-enactors were outnumbered by Krauts by at least 2 to 1... I thought we came out first in that little throwdown back in the 40s?

Maybe it was a re-enactment of the early days of the war when there were more German troops than Allied troops? :wink:

Russ Blow · **Posted:** Mon May 21, 2012 6:26 pm

I got to see the ME 262 take off from Suffolk. That was a surprise. I had considered running the L 4 over Saturday but was just in no mood to fight the 20kt cross wind. And of course Sunday just sucked.

One of my employees was at the show on Saturday. A non aviation type and she was thrilled at what she saw. She was talking about Chuckie and the 262 all day today. She had no idea there were jets in WW 2 and she talked about the new respect for the guys that flew the 17's. I think the thought of being in the ball turret really drove that home to her.

Weather or not if you guys pulled in non aviation types and got them talking like that after the show then it did exactly what it should do. Sounds like you guys did the best you could with another borderline weekend.

I am going to get the L 4 over there one day. I used to fly off the field when it was a duster strip.

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