2011 Airshows
Tyndall AFB, FL    NAS Fort Worth JRB, TX     Indianapolis Regional, IN    Terre Haute, IN Open House   Monticello, IN Open House   Reading, PA WWII Weekend    Cincinnati, OH B-29 Appearance    Hamilton, ONT    Kokomo, IN    Indianapolis Metropolitan, IN     Polk City, FL    Willow Run, MI    Indianapolis Regional, IN    Indianapolis Executive, IN    Grissom Aeroplex Huey Homecoming, IN    Selfridge ANGB, MI    Mattoon, IL     Marion, IN    Waukegan, IL    Janesville, WI    NAS Oceana, VA    Watervliet, MI

Air Power Expo 2011 Air Show Photo Review
Warbirds at NAS Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base - April 16-17, 2011  

NAS Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base had its annual air show this year with me in attendance for the first time looking forward to being able to spend time on the ramps that many years ago had B-36s sitting on them when it was previously Carswell AFB.  It is also the location where portions of the 1955 movie "Strategic Air Command" with James Stewart, June Allyson and the B-36 were shot.  So this is a historic aviation location to visit and watch an air show at.  Most of the warbirds were static at the event but a warbird aerobatic act new to me was the locally based Trojan Phlyers consisting of two T-28Bs that put on a very nice combination aerobatic and formation show.  Even though they have been flying shows since 1999 this is the first time I have been able to see them.

B-29 'Fifi" making a special unplanned flyby on Sunday for the air show crowd.  This replaced the B-52 flyby that occurred on Saturday only.

Flag Jump to open the show by the Special Operations Command Para-Commandos.

Five F-18 Hornets from VFA-204 at NAS New Orleans Joint Reserve Base along with one Northrop F-5 opened the show right after the flag jump.  I have never seen a formation like this.  This was great!

This great looking UC-45 on static display belongs to James Martin of Odessa, TX.

One of the two Trojan Phlyers going up over the top in an aerobatic maneuver.

This static display PV-2, "Attu Warrior", is owned by Dave Hansen and came all the way from Heber City, UT to be part of the event.

The River Rattlers and F-5 making the overhead approach and break for landing.

Over the top.

This Harrier sucked asphalt chunks up into the engine during the practice show on Friday during the hover demonstration.  The pilot was unaware he was over the meltable material.  It takes 500 hours of labor to change the engine, which is going on in the photo.

One can see the dings in the turbine blades.  No doubt similar damage happened through the entire engine.

Pacific Prowler made the short hop from Meacham Airport a few miles to the North East in Ft. Worth.

One of the Trojan Phlyers is in Marine markings and the other in Navy.  Otherwise they are painted the same.

The great nose art that owner Jim Terry has had applied to the aircraft.

Trojan Phlyers formation pass.

The world's only flyable Curtiss SB2C Helldiver which is operated by the Commemorative Air Force out of Midland, TX.

The rear gunner's twin 30 caliber machine guns.

From the Addison Airport in Dallas the Cavanaugh Flight Museum had this AD-5/A-1E on display.

The front end of the Skyraider.  The prop was manufactured by Aeroproducts Division of General Motors in Vandalia, OH.

The Cavanaugh Flight Museum from Addison also flew in for display its FM-2.

This excellently restored Boeing PT-17 Stearman "Kaydet" was another of the Cavanaugh warbirds brought over to help out the air show.

This excellent restoration of a Vietnam Era Cessna OE-1 is owned by Fly By Aviation of Enid, OK.

Another Cessna Birddog.  Chad Parrott of Paris, TX owns this one.

CAF B-24A that is now operates with the B-29 out of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison.. 

C-47 jump plane used for the Special Operations Command Para-Commandos make a landing with the Lockheed Martin Plant in the background.

Taxi in of 026 which is the T-28B in Marine markings.

Taxi in of 027 which is the T-28B in Navy markings.

P-51 Galveston Gal, from Cavanaugh Flight Museum taxiing out for the Heritage Flight. 

Heritage Flight.

C-47 taking off for another jump run.

The River Rattlers in their simulated airfield attack.

Pyro was used during the simulated airfield attack by the F-18s.

One of twelve F-5's operated by VFC-110, The Sundowners, out of NAS Key West as adversary aircraft.

Saturday Legacy Flight.

Fighter Break!

The old and new.  3,034 B-24s were built by Consolidated-Vultee during WWII at what is now the Lockheed Martin US Air Force Plant 4 in Fort Worth.  After production of the Liberator ended at the plant on December 12, 1944, 114 B-32 Dominators were constructed until the war ended. CAF B-24A "Ole 929", built at San Diego, is seen on the runway in front of the full scale F-35 model used for avionics integration.  See page 134 of Bill Sweetman's The Ultimate Fighter - Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for a better photo.  B-24s were built in five locations by four different manufacturers during WWII:  Consolidated at San Diego, CA and Fort Worth, TX; Douglas at Tulsa, OK; Ford at Willow Run, MI and North American at Dallas, TX.

Here is another view of the F-35 model as viewed from the air show.

The Vought F4U-5 owned by the Lonestar Aviation Museum warms for Sunday's flight.

CAF Curtiss SB2C also warms up for the Sunday Legacy Flight.

I have never seen this particular combination of the old and new fly before.

Maybe some day the Blues will be flying F-35Cs.  Their F-18s are going to wear out some day.

Tyndall AFB, FL    NAS Fort Worth JRB, TX     Indianapolis Regional, IN    Terre Haute, IN Open House   Monticello, IN Open House   Reading, PA WWII Weekend    Cincinnati, OH B-29 Appearance    Hamilton, ONT    Kokomo, IN    Indianapolis Metropolitan, IN     Polk City, FL    Willow Run, MI    Indianapolis Regional, IN    Indianapolis Executive, IN    Grissom Aeroplex Huey Homecoming, IN    Selfridge ANGB, MI    Mattoon, IL     Marion, IN    Waukegan, IL    Janesville, WI    NAS Oceana, VA    Watervliet, MI