N29KX 1995 Sukhoi SU-29 with pilot doing preflight checks.
N26VN 1990 Sukhoi SU-26M
WWII US Army motorcycle on display at the airshow
Daughter with her youngest son at the air show hiding in the shade of a C-130 wing.
WWII OY-1 Sentinel (Stinson L5) in USMC colors of VMO6, 306 L-5s were supplied to the United States Marine Corps and 152 to the United States Navy.
1942 Consolidated Vultee BT-13A, tail number N59961. The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was a American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps. An subsequent variant of the BT-13 in USAAC/USAAF service was known as the BT-15 Valiant, while an identical version for the US Navy was known as the SNV and was used to train naval aviators for the US Navy, US Marine Corps and US Coast Guard.
1975 Siai-Marchetti Model SF260, Tail Number N13FD
1949 Navion L-17B. The L-17 was used by the military services from the late 1940s through the early 1960s for liaison, reconnaissance and light cargo missions. It was originally designed by North American Aviation, Inc. and was first flown in April 1946. In the summer of 1947, Ryan Aeronautical Company acquired the design and manufacturing rights from North American and built improved Navions designated as L-17Bs.
1960 North American T-6G, Tail Number N8203H. Later in life, many T6 aircraft were overhauled and modified to the T-6G configuration, which included among other things, updated avionics and a new canopy for greater visibility.
Another shot of a German WWII motorcycle showing devices for clearing traffic congestion mounted on the forks.
Another possible T6 Texan variant, but I can not identify it any better with the numbers visible on the aircraft.
Florida Air National Guard, 125th Fighter Wing, C-130E on display.
Stearman Aircraft Company PT-17 of which 10, 346 models were built by the end of 1945. The aircraft had a wing span of 32ft. 2in., a length of 24ft. 3in. and a height of 9ft. 2in. The aircraft empty weight was 1936 pounds and a maximum takeoff weight of 2,717 pounds with a ceiling of 11,000 feet. I can not get any further information with the numbers visible on this aircraft.
This aircraft is a North American Aviation TP-51C Mustang Tail Number N251MX owned by the Collings Foundation. The Collings Foundation says this is the only dual control P-51C Mustang in their WWII aircraft collection.
This aircraft is listed as a 1956 manufacture North American AT-6D, Tail Number N75342. The T-6 Texan was originally a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft designed by North American Aviation, used to train fighter pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II. The aircraft is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and who flew it. The US Army Air Corps called it the "AT-6", the US Navy, the "SNJ", and in the British Commonwealth Air Forces it was known as the "Harvard". Developmental modifications to the original aircraft over time resulted in the AT-6D aircraft.
February Airshow at Keystone Heights, FL. It was small, but well worth the trip. When we got to the gate, the fellow selling tickets said Veterans get in free. I told him in our group everyone over 6 years of age was a veteran. My brother and I are both retired from the military and both of my daughters are US Army veterans. Then he said it was WWII Veterans who get in free, none of us met that goal so we anteed up $6 each and proceeded on in pursuit of adventure.
This is a shot of a Pratt & Whitney rotary reciprocating engine. This engine was a single-row, 9-cylinder air-cooled radial design. This type of engine dates from the 1920s onward. I love to hear these engines roar on the ground or in the air, they have a distinct sound.
Some of the WWII displays involved equipment from the "dark side". This appears to be a small WWII German armored car or reconnaissance vehicle. My guess is it is the Leichter Panzerspähwagen (roughly "Light Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle") which were a series of light 4x4 armoured cars produced by Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1944. As previously stated, my expertise such as it is, relates to submarines.
An SNJ Trainer, the Navy version of the Army Air Corp AT-6 Trainer and the British Harvard Trainer. The Navy used SNJ-1, SNJ-2, SNJ-3, SNJ-4, and SNJ-5 aircraft over the years. Total production of T6 Texan, SNJ and Harvard aircraft was 15,495 aircraft.
A German WWII motorcycle with accouterments that was at the airshow.
The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk is a tandem, two-seat, single-engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force and other air forces through much of the post-Second World War years.
Great Uncle Rickard helping grandson number 2 win a prize. The mallet probably weighs more than my grandson.
One of my grandchildren, aka Sky Bean, one year of age and checking out the sights at the airshow.
This B-25 is the one and only N3476G or 44-28932 owned and operated by the Collings Foundation. This is the type aircraft flown by General Doolittle and his men in the first strikes against mainland Japan. She is painted the colors of a specific aircraft, the Tondelayo, a famous B-25 of WWII. More information is available at http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm
A US Army Sherpa lifts off with members of an Army jump team who parachuted in from over the field.
The Collings Foundation Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress at Keystone Heights, FL. This is one of only 14 B-17s still flying in the United States. More info available at http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm)
The Collings Foundation’s B-24J is the only restored flying B-24J in the world. Here, the airplane is painted to honor the 8th Air Force and all who served in England and in the ETO. The aircraft has been painted like the WWII “WITCHCRAFT”, a B-24 assigned to the 467BG, 790BS that compiled an amazing record of 130 combat missions. More info is also available at http://www.collingsfoundation.org/menu.htm
US Army C-23 Sherpa on display prior to lifting off with a load of jumpers.
Grandson Ise checking out a C-130 on display.
US Army personnel preparing to drop in to the Keystone Heights Airshow. Safety first, always.
The February birthday boys. Ise and Sky Bean are each wearing their Birthday Hats by Marcy. The Birthday Hats indicate their wearers age, except for the Old Salt's, his has a question mark instead of an age. That way the hat can be used again. Besides, dry as it gets around here, no one wanted to be responsible for a conflagration from candles on a cake.
This is a dual purpose cake, half yellow cake and half chocolate cake. The surprise was the bottom layer was chocolate and the top layer was yellow so you got some of each. The cake for two, since Isaac and I were born on the same date...60 years apart, was presented with his candles and the Happy Birthday song and then presto change-o, it came back with my candles and another Birthday Song. Then we ate it.
The little dude, aka Sky Bean, got a custom made carrot cake the size of a giant cupcake which he did his best to devour. His mom also brought carrot cake cupcakes for all to share. Chocolate cake and carrot cake on the same day. It doesn't get much better than that.
We destroyed a Transformer Pinata so everyone had plenty of candy to take with them when they left. Each of them got about three tries with a bat, then they pulled all of the strings to get the candy. When it became obvious progress was stalled, I as the big birthday boy whacked the candy right out of that pinata.
Sky Bean enjoying the outdoor play kitchen Nana put together for the grandchildren to play with. There is plenty of sand to play in along with old pots and pans plus utensils.
