Warbird Information Exchange

making it out on saturday only can do one day this year but looking forward nice line up. will the show area be changed like the year the 15 b-25s were thier or will it be in same place as always ? also trying to get thier early for A day. whats word on ecorse ??

NOT like 2007 and the 15 B-25's, should be the typical crowd line setup. Ecorse Road likely a NO go due to the Thunderbirds flying this year.

Any word on the P-63C - didn't see it up at Oshkosh.

Congratulations to Lake Erie Warbirds' Charlie Cartledge & the General Motors built Grumman TBM-3E Avenger crew for being awarded the Golden Wrench Award, the Phoenix Award, the Judge's Appreciation Award, & the World War II Grand Champion "Lindy Award" at the 2014 EAA - Warbirds of America awards banquet last night at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. And, its coming to Thunder over Michigan next weekend!

Cheers,

Tom Walsh.

very good, i did not like how the show was set up that year. but okay looks like i will be driving around friday not a big deal. thanks

They usually close Ecorse when the jet teams practice and reopen it when they are done. The last time I was there the police came by ahead of time and told everyone they had to leave at 2:00. One lady officer told us other places where we could go to watch. When 2:00 came everyone got in their cars and left. Used to be able to park in the old bomber plant lot but it's closed off now because they are tearing it down. Also the parking lot at hangar 2 is now fenced off. There is a park on Beck just south of Tyler but I don't know how that is for viewing.

I usually watch from Mich ave when Ecorse is not an option, a myriad of spots once the general flight path is determined. Not the best for some prop acts but great for jets.

Remember to show some support for the show, on showdays I'll buy a ticket even if I'm not going in.

Anyone know if the Birds are practicing THUR, I know they do that on occasion in addition to FRI ,,, And any word on if they are staging the show from somewhere else, as suggested earlier ?

There is no staging from anywhere else. Where do people come up with these crazy notions? Everything is at the Willow Run Airport! Support the show, buy a ticket, come inside the grounds and enjoy the three dimensional aviation activities. It drives me crazy, when people who don't have a clue as to what is going on, throw out these red herrings. All it does is confuse the regular supporting public.

Tom Walsh.

Don't get shook up Tom, I highly doubt if many of the "regular supporting public" are reading this, nor would they care if the TBirds were staging the show from somewhere else.
I have been going to and supporting shows in Ypsi since the Blue Angels were flying Phantoms, no worries about me. My questions/comments are geared towards the FRI flyin and practices, goes without saying the TOM enterprise should be supported by everyone.

Tom,

At airshows these days, the "regular supporting public" is usually confused and generally "don't have a clue as to what is going on." I don't make the news Tom, I just report it.

That being said, I don't think it's unreasonable for casual observers to wonder if the Thunderbirds, or any other warbird performer for that matter are, in fact, flying from Willow Run or not especially when you consider the size of the venue coupled with the fact that the show has never been especially "friendly" for viewing takeoffs and/or landings.

People at the north end of the field especially have a hard time figuring out what's flying next when propellor aircraft and/or jets are cranking near the south end of the field. Those of us with trained ears and are knowledgeable from years past and know where to look can make out the whine of a jet engine spooling up or a radial engine snorting to life. I understand that the ramp is being moved so maybe that will cut down on some of the confusion.

For your average airshow attendant that is dealing with August heat, beverages, hotdogs, children, etc., I don't think it's unreasonable for people to look to the sky every once and a while and think, "Oh that's cool, did that takeoff here from the airport? Did I miss something?"

Hence, the "red herrings."

I'm talking about the person who hasn't been to the show (inside the grounds) since 2007, and who dosen't realize that layout was used only once. I'm also talking about the person who speculates that the Thunderbirds might have to use another airport as they are unsure of the Teams current operating requirements. These are the type of "red herring" utterances that I'm referring to. And, you would be surprised who reads these boards. I have had several enquiries asking why the Thunderbirds can't fly from Willow Run!

Tom Walsh.

Well, I reckon you cannot stop speculation or questions from being asked on a forum such as this.
Most folks who google "thunder over michigan 2014" will go straight to www.yankeeairmuseum.org, where of course anything posted is indeed regulated and authoritative - And I doubt if there is a single person who would not attend IF they did not touch the ground at Willow so long as they flew the show.

I'm just trying to make plans for the FRI fly-in & practice, things can vary at Willow more so that any airshow I have ever attended over the decades. I have multiple times encouraged people to support the show by buying tickets [and $5 bottles of water I suppose ], I accept no censure at all except from a mod for asking any question I please.

dude if your talking about me i have been going to TOM since 2005 and have went both days and paid every time. i only found out about ecorse rd bc of people on here and i was talking about friday a day. i drive pretty good distance to come so i want to get best out of my trip. i was just asking around sorry to mess the forum up with what i thought was a simple question.

Ecorse always shakes them up closer the show gets, I see their point.
On the other hand, I'm sure people have been hanging out on the perimeters of airfields to watch airshows since airshows started, just a fact of life. Especially as admission/concession prices go up and incomes go down.
For me its more about the view of the aircraft than anything, which generally is much better off base. Not the fault of the venue, regulations being what they are, aircraft can only fly so close to a crowd line. I'm old school, I prefer to be right under them if possible, or at least a bit to the side. I like some shade too during lulls, tough to take baking outside for 5 hours + a day multiple days ... And I like to be able to eat a bologna sandwich or sub instead of being forced to buy a drastically marked up hot dog.

That said it is important obviously for all aviation enthusiasts to support the show, I have already bought 2 tickets and probably will not even go on the field this year, I encourage others to do the same.

Tom I made the suggestion that Thunderbirds would possibly stage at another airport due to the longest runway being closed. When I saw Thunderbirds at Cleveland, they would fly out of Hopkins rather than Burke Lakefront where the show is at. The Blues would always use Burke. I had been told that Thunderbirds required a 7500 ft runway minimum, with 5R/23L closed, Runway 9/27 is the longest runway at only 7292 ft