Some of you will recall my humble coverage of the utterly delectable Canadian Warplane Heritage 40th Anniversary show two months ago, and you might be forgiven for thinking, "with that much epicness, someone would have their lifetime fill of warbirds." Of course, none of us on UKAR think that way, and so a little closer to home this time was Thunder Over Michigan in the great state of... wait for it... Michigan! Close to Detroit but far enough away, this is one of the premier warbird shows in North America, and I was about to find out why. Would I give it the same A++++ as I gave the CWH show? Well, maybe not; it did lack a bit of the exotica, but with a B-29, B-17, P-38, two P-47s, three B-25s (one didn't fly), F-86, Sea Harrier, static F-5E, and more Mustangs than you could shake a stick at (including a Mustang that isn't actually a Mustang... more on that), it'd be hard to call it anything less than incredible. But enough rambling.
First some early morning photos from the co-located Yankee Air Museum
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Flying display highlights (I would've included the SHAR but it was horribly backlit when it displayed; I'll try to salvage a few shots for the inevitable updates!)
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(Fifi is actually giving a ride here, on the Friday arrivals day - the passenger up front is photographing the photographers!)
4. What a display - SIX passes!
5. "What? You want ANOTHER topside? Eh, alright, here you go!"
6. This was actually a highlight for me - first time I've seen a BT-13 doing aerobatics, and incredibly well flown.
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15. "Alright, one of you doesn't belong..."
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17. Vehicles making their way out for the ground combat demonstration. The sole downside to buying a photo pit pass was that we were at the far end of the crowd line and couldn't see the battle taking place.
18. Arriving on Friday... yep, that's an AT-11 Kansan. And it's flying. The only one I know of that does.
19. Also arriving on the Friday
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21. Not part of the flying display, but this Bell 47 was doing a few photo runs prior to the show start
22. Also arriving pre-show - a baby DC-9!
And some static displays
23. Guess the type
24. One of the local DC-9s, and nice to see up close too. Perhaps I should photoshop out the toilets?
25. Even better - a DC-8! Always liked the Super 8's.
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Thunder Over Michigan selects a "theme aircraft" every year and they try to attract as many of that type as possible. This year's aircraft was the P-51 Mustang. I counted 14 airframes total, which was a far cry from the 30+ that were rumored in the months leading up to the show, but still a mighty impressive lineup, and among these were no less than three razorbacks (including the Mustang that isn't a Mustang). Eleven took part in the flying display. Here are the Ponies.
31. The Mustang that isn't a Mustang: the A-36A Apache. Sadly it was unable to take part in the flying display.
32. Two of the rarest 'Stangs: P-51B and A-36A
33. $10 for a scissor lift ride!
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35. Working on "Gunfighter"
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37. Is this not the most glorious sight ever?
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40. And to close, one more of the P-51B (one of two "Old Crows" at the show)
Hope you enjoyed looking!
Looks like a fantastic show.In some respects what UKAR should be all about. Really like the early morning (F4 at dawn, we just don't get summer mornings like that in blighty much these days) and evening shots. To go to an airshow where you have a line up of Mustangs with an Aggressor F5, heaven!
May have even spoke to you on Friday in the photo pit without realising?! My shots have some serious competition now!
