THUNDER OVER MICHIGAN 2017

[Boeing666]

Xray, - that's the one that they rescued from the closed Chanute museum in Illinois. They trucked it back, just going to be static, will never fly.

[Boeing666]

Didn't seem like much showed up yesterday.

Didn't see the A-10s, F-5s, Super Hornets. The P-3 arrived but they got called back to NAS JAX for some sort of emergency and left after fueling up. Didn't see the 2 American C-130s, just the Canadian. No sign of the E-2, C-46, the 2 TBMs. Valiant Air Museum Titusville FL C-47 "Tico Belle" was on flightaware scheduled to come up but I think stayed home due to weather over the south. Looked like one of the Blue Angels was a Super Hornet yesterday as they begin their transition to Super Hornets.

Personally hoping that this is the last Labor Day Thunder Over Michigan though and we go back to early August so we can grab some stuff after Oshkosh - we missed out on some great warbird possibilities that I saw at OSH this year - Doc, A-20, four Bell Cobras, Madras Maiden, several B-25s etc

[Xray]

Was a weak flyin - Looks like the F-5's got scratched from the list and A-10's added [didn't even see them, likely flying in in the morning].
This is what I saw arriving:

Canadian C-130
German A-400M
A couple mustangs and B-25's
A-26
F-86
P-3
C-47's
A-1 Skyraider

Was wondering why the P-3 up and left.
Probably no choice on the date, shows go by which dates they can book premium jet acts. Conflicting with Cleveland doesn't help either show I'm sure.
2018 already set for August 25 - 26.

[Steve Nelson]

Did the C-46 and Collings P-40B make it? I'm planning to go tomorrow, but if those two aren't there I may not bother.

SN

[k5083]

Did the C-46 and Collings P-40B make it? I'm planning to go tomorrow, but if those two aren't there I may not bother.

SN

I saw on instagram that the P-40B is there.

August

[Steve Nelson]

Did the C-46 and Collings P-40B make it? I'm planning to go tomorrow, but if those two aren't there I may not bother.

SN

I saw on instagram that the P-40B is there.

August

Cool, thanks! Looks like I'll be setting my alarm for early tomorrow morning. Fortunately I only live an hour or so away.

SN

[Xray]

P-40 was there and flying, mostly solo runs.
4 or 5 C-47's did passes and a nice para drop .... A-10's no show far as I know, only jet that flew besides the Angels was the F-86.

[Steve Nelson]

P-40 was there and flying, mostly solo runs.
4 or 5 C-47's did passes and a nice para drop .... A-10's no show far as I know, only jet that flew besides the Angels was the F-86.

Thanks! Any sign of the C-46? I've never seen one fly..was looking forward to it.

SN

[Xray]

P-40 was there and flying, mostly solo runs.
4 or 5 C-47's did passes and a nice para drop .... A-10's no show far as I know, only jet that flew besides the Angels was the F-86.

Thanks! Any sign of the C-46? I've never seen one fly..was looking forward to it.

SN

Never been much of a vintage cargo aircraft guy so I don't know, someone else should chime in shortly.

[ZRoesch1]

C-46 showed up Saturday morning. I watched it land and taxi from the beer garden.

[Boeing666]

Was a weak flyin - Looks like the F-5's got scratched from the list and A-10's added [didn't even see them, likely flying in in the morning].
This is what I saw arriving:

Canadian C-130
German A-400M
A couple mustangs and B-25's
A-26
F-86
P-3
C-47's
A-1 Skyraider

Was wondering why the P-3 up and left.
Probably no choice on the date, shows go by which dates they can book premium jet acts. Conflicting with Cleveland doesn't help either show I'm sure.
2018 already set for August 25 - 26.

We heard on the scanner yesterday "red tip propellers" for the P-3 while he was on final. Pilot said he has to return to NAS Jax, but doesn't have enough fuel and would fuel up at YIP. Got some info from one of my Florida buddies and it turns out that some of the P-3s with certain serial # propellers are under recall and those P-3s are about to be grounded and have the props sent back. They wanted to get the plane back to JAX so it wouldn't be stuck at YIP when it was grounded and have to send mx up there to fix it.

As for the Friday fly in stuff, basically you could have stayed home all day and showed up between 4:30-6:30pm, which is pretty much when 85% of the stuff arrived. I went in today, the C-46 did show up before the show and was hoping it would fly with the C-47s as I have not seen the C-46 fly in a long time. Wasn't much in the way of acts.

the stuff I did enjoy - the C-47 parachute drop and ground battle, the P-40 passes and the P-51C/Skyraider/F-86 Heritage flight. Ramp was pretty empty of aircraft though. Wish they would go back to early August, when stuff that went to Oshkosh would come to Thunder.

[Steve Nelson]

C-46 showed up Saturday morning. I watched it land and taxi from the beer garden.

Awesome, thanks!

SN

[Xray]

Must have been a bit nerve wracking flying around with recalled props !

No doubt the show was a bit lackluster compared to previous, very little flow. Seemed to be nearly an hours lull between the props and the Angels, maybe they were doing some ground work I dunno.
Appeared to be a good turnout though, roads were pretty clogged up coming in.

[tjc333]

I attended TOM on Saturday for the first time. I have been to many warbird airshows and this one was the most expensive one I have ever been to and the worst one I have ever been to. The Blues were great as always however the rest of the show was terrible. Their B17 did not do a performance for the crowd. It flew rides all day. I understand the need to sell rides to make money however to not have their own B17 do a decent performance for the crowd at their own airshow is beyond stupid. Especially since there were so few warbirds there in total. Their B25 only did a performance for a few minutes. It too was selling rides the rest of the day. When so few warbirds show up their own planes should be spending a good deal of time flying in front of the crowd. That's why people attend. A pathetic show. Never again.

[kennsmithf2g]

Some pictures from Saturday