Reading Pa air show

[k_enn]

Sometimes it is more about the destination than the ride.  That was the case with last Saturday's ride.  The ride itself was about 120 miles each way, with a good chunk being interstate highway with some backroads to break it up.  The weather as fine, mid 70's and dry.

This was the destination:  http://maam.org/maamwwii.html

At the Reading Pa. airport, they had an airshow and WWII encampment.  The encampment was neat, with several hundred vintage/replica WWII tents set up (including field hospital tents, and radio headquarters, etc.).  There were a number of WWII vehicles, mostly US jeeps, a US half-track, and various motorcycles.

There were at least a half dozen restored US Army Harley Davidsons in military trim, a couple even had the original leather rifle scabbard on the front (others had replica leather).  There was even an Indian motorcycle in U.S. Army configuration.  

The Germans were not unrepresented.  There were at least three German rigs with sidecars.  One was a Zundapp, the other two were BMWs.  (Sorry, I don't know enough to say what model they were).  The Zundapp and one BMW were is very good shape, the other BMW was a little rough in spots.  One had a MG42 mounted on the sidecar, and another had a MG34 mounted.  

The real stars of the event were the airplanes, all of which flew.  The largest was B-29 bomber, and it was quite a sight to see that thing get up in the air.  Going down a notch, there was a B-17 bomber.  Then there were four B-25 (Mitchell) bombers, in three different variations.  

There were also a number of single engine WWII planes.  There were eight AT-6 training planes.  While training planes may not seem impressive, it was sight to see when they took off in formation.  Also, at the end of their flight, one of the pilots did an aerobatic routine.  

But real stars of the show were the single engine combat planes.  Least impressive was a replica Japanese Val dive bomber.  While it was nice to look at, it was fairly slow compared to the other aircraft.  The Grumman Hellcat fighter was good, but it did seem a little ungainly for a fighter.  The Dauntless diver bomber was powerful and fast.  Then there was a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk (the type of plane flown by the AVG, a/k/a the Flying Tigers).  That was sleek and fast compared to the others, and it was hard to believe that it was generally considered to be only a fair performer in the mid to later parts of the war.  Finally, there was the P-51 Mustang.  There were about a half dozen P-51s at the show.   Now that is really fast plane.  One guy made a full throttle pass over the runway at at 50 feet altitude, and that thing was really moving.  

One of the great things about the show was that when the planes were not on the flight line, you could could walk right up to the them and look at them close.  It was interesting to see how massive some of the engines were, and how small the bomb bay is on the B-25.  

Somehow, it just seems that motorcycle rides and airplanes just go together.

k_enn

[montmil]

...The Grumman Hellcat fighter was good, but it did seem a little ungainly for a fighter...

Somehow, it just seems that motorcycle rides and airplanes just go together.

k_enn

I do love a good airshow. And you're right about the connection between aircraft and motorcycles on so many levels.

Regarding the Grumman "Iron Works" F6F Hellcat, looks can be deceiving. Hellcat pilots shot down more enemy aircraft than any other Allied aircraft in WWII. The Hellcat also produced the greatest number of Aces flying American aircraft.
 Â  That clunky-looking, air-cooled, Pratt and Whitney Wasp engine brought many a pilot back to the deck with a cylinder shot away... and no coolant leaks.

 The later model Mustang is, arguably, the most beautiful single-engine fighter of the War. To put a little oil on the roiled waters, the Spitfire ranks at the top on some lists, but is was designed as a tactical fighter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_F6F_Hellcat
 

[marcmax]

The only thing better than nice weather and a good road to ride on is throwing an airshow into the middle of it. That sounds like it was a fantastic time. The sound of those big radial engines on the bombers when they pass over is something else. Makes you wonder what it must have been like during the war when they went over in flights of hundreds of planes.