CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

It's almost here again: the BIGGEST Warbird event of the year within 150 miles of my area (Kalamazoo, MI).
The CARDS event is a close second, but this event which is held each year at a large and open flying site draws more warbirds than any other event in the area. Big enough that are usually a few vendors there as well
Cost: FREE! No landing fee, no parking fee.
A huge lunch banquet is served for whatever you feel it's worth or care to donate. You can't do better at a restaurant: lots of choices for food and dessert.
It's pretty much open flying (must have military markings tho), but the event directors will shut it down for a bit if you and/ or your friends have something special to show, such as they do for giant scale 4 engine bombers, and/ or formation flying teams, etc.
Even if you can't bring a warbird, this is one well worth seeing, as there is usually well over 100 warbirds there. I'll be bringing 4 myself: 2 Corsairs, a Hellcat, and a micro electric B-29.
So, if you are in the greater Chicago area and can pull yourself away from the televised afternoon Sox/ Yankess game, OR you are in SW Michigan, Northern IN, come on out and see lots of warbirds, of ALL SIZES.

For more info/ maps go to:
http://www.midwestsundowners.com/
http://www.midwestsundowners.com/warbird.htm

For weather info:
http://www.weather.com/weather/local...om=search_city

Larry S

My Feedback: (6)

What happened to you at Lansing, IL? It sure was hot and sticky but good flying weather. Woody and I both thought you would show.
Larry

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

I un-expectedly had to work the entire 4th of July weekend. I WILL be at this one tho (broken collarbone and all), as I have already scheduled time off work Friday evening so my wife and I can drive to a hotel in Valparaiso (have reservations), so it will be a short drive for us in the AM

ALSO, I noted that 2 different clubs in the SW Chicago area are having warbird events on consecutive days: Aug 25 & 26. There is a campground nearby (Windy City Campground), so we have tentative plans to drive there Friday nite (already have scheduled vacation time on Friday), camp for 2 nites, and attend/ participate in both events. If you know of a better campground nearby (preferably state or county park), PLEASE let me know soon.

Really regret not attending the Lansing one, as I said: work came up very un-expectedly.

SO, will you (Larry) be at the Sundowners event?

Larry S

My Feedback: (6)

Work can suck at times. lol It probably was just as good to work as attend the Lansing event. Weather wasn't to bad but they had a very small turnout. Lets just say this will be the last event I'll attend there. If it weren't for our SAC members there, they wouldn't have had an event. We'll talk when I see you.
As for the Aug 25 & 26 dates, I only know of our event, SAC, on the 26th. Where is the one on the 25th?
Let me tell you now, please don't expect our Warbird Day to like the Sundowners event. I've been to the Sundowners event many years ago and they really put on a great show. That was when I first started flying and I didn't even think of flying a warbird then. Damn, I'm getting old. lol
Give me the exact locations of the two warbird events and maybe I can recommend a campground. As for the Sundowners event, yes, as of now I do plan on attending. Not sure what plane I'll bring. I have a trusty P 51 and Hellcat to fly or my FW 190D which I haven't flown this year and a Zero that I still haven't taken up yet. Like to try the Zero but probably wouldn't be a good idea with a large group of planes flying. We'll see as the time nears.
Larry

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

I got the dates wrong: I meant the 26th & 27 (of August)
SAC event is the one I am refering to on the 26th.
On the 27th, here is link to club site:
http://www.palosrc.com/

Both events are listed in Model Aviation, as is the SunDowners event. Always a good idea to post them there, I plan trips around warbird events. While the Chicago area events are just a little farter than I like to travel specifically for warbird events, the fact that there are 2 on consecutive days will make trip worthwhile.

And, I don't expect warbird events to be as big as the Sundowners one. As stated earlier: it is THE biggest warbird event (as far a number of aircraft and pilots attending) within 150 mile radius of my home in Kalamazoo.
I hope other clubs will follow their example. For one thing: why charge 'landing fees' or other fees when the object of these events is to draw as many warbirds as possible to one place?
Secondly: I prefer these type of non-judged events. I like to fly with others, and I would love to share the skies with several other Corsairs (or Hellcats, or whatever). But judged events make that difficult, as there is usually 1 plane in the air at a time: the one being judged. And participants are limited to 1 or 2 flights, usually about 5 minute each. No thanks, I prefer the open flying events, with several warbirds in the air at the same time.

Larry S

My Feedback: (6)

That clears up the dates. I understand where you are coming from concerning warbird events. I wish I could tell you that we run our warbird day like the Sundowners, but I can't. We do charge a fee and it is a contest of sorts with each plane doing a few simple maneuvers. I guess this was the way it was always set up and each year whoever the CD is keeps doing it the same way. I like your ideas and maybe next year we'll do it different. The problem I have is if I throw out all these ideas to our CD, our club president gets upset, he wonders why I didn't just take it over. I brought up the idea to him about inviting some of the veterans from the Manteno Veterans Home to come out and see our planes and he came up with more excuses why he wasn't for the idea so I said, the hell with it. The problem I have in being the CD for this event is I'm gone for most of the month ( Aug ). I go out west and to Sturgis for the bike rally that time of year but maybe the dates could be changed.
Now as for fees, I do believe there should be a fee if there is a contest as we have. It helps pay for the prizes. You do have some good ideas and I can't think of a reason to not have both, open flying for a period of time and a contest, just something simple. Hell, I'm not even sure if that isn't the way we do it now. I do believe we have open flying for a period of time before our contest.
As for camping, I don't know anything about the Windy City Campground or exactly where it is. The only place I can think of to camp is the Kankakee State Park, but it is a ways from the flying fields.
We'll talk this over at the Sundowners event. I love to see lots and lots of warbirds at an event, surely not like it was at Lansing but that day, the weather was threating so that hurt them also and that could happen to any club. Our club president also told me he was thinking of doing away of all our events except our float flys because of low turnout. I hate to see that happen but in a way, I can't blame him. We have a fun fly and only a few planes show and that I don't understand. That could be changed by not giving out prizes to the best flyers but having a drawing so that even if you're a newbie, you have the same chance of winning something or maybe doing both, simple prizes for the event and a nice prize for the drawing. We have to get those new and intermediate flyers out.
Larry

prop wash

Jock and Larry,glad to hear that you both will be at our War Bird Day this Saturday.I'll be bringing two birds this year[P51 and P47] and I tell you I am realy looking forward to this.I was at the Palos Park WBD last year and those guys were great host's,I had a ball.Tom

Larry S

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks Tom,
really looking forward to it. It's been a long time since I've been to a Sundowners event and even then, I was amazed by the number of warbirds and wished I could fly good enough to have one. Now I do, several of them. What time does this event start? I like to bring either my FW or Zero out. The FW hasn't flown since last year after a hard landing which I had to rebuild my landing gear and the Zero hasn't been flown at all. If you think there will a number of planes in the air, I'll hold off on those two and bring something that I'm comfortable with. Ain't that a ***** when you can't decide what bird to bring? lol
Larry

prop wash

Larry,I'd say bring them both[FWand"O"].There will be time to test the zero out and there will be guy's there to help[Jock and me].I'm like a little boy in anticipation.My wings for both planes are in my trailer,and I have plenty of ice and stuff to drink,and tomorrow I'll put both planes in and start charging them.I plan on being there about 8.00am to set up.Pilot breafing is at 9.00am.Lunch is great as Jock said and just a donation to eat.
I'm a member of the Sundowners and the Griffith Barnstormers[which is 5 min from my house],the Downers is about 20 min farther east.The Sundowners is a very good club and the field is "very nice".I have a great time every time I go.I have a white Jeep Wrangler and a white trailer.Come on over,your welcome.Tom

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Tom, Good to hear from you and looking forward to seeing you again at the Warbird Day event. Larry, see you there also.

Just finished putting the final touches of the VF-27/ 'Cat's Mouth' scheme on my Hangar 9 Hellcat, so now I'm starting to pack and hope to leave for Valparaiso by 4PM Eastern.

Weather is rainy here at the moment, but it will be clear and HOT in Wheeler tomorrow: predicted high of just under 90 with humidity under 50% by noon. The good news is that the REALLY, REALLY HOT weather won't arrive until Sunday, AFTER the event.

I'll be traveling in a white (sure beats black in the hot summer sun) 2004 Dodge Durango (NO, it DOESN'T have a HEMI!) with loving wife and 4 warbirds mentioned in post above.

Larry S

My Feedback: (6)

Man, am I glad I checked this site again. At our club meeting last night, someone said the warbird day was Sunday and actually, I couldn't remember if it was Saturday or Sunday. A friend of mine from our club was planning on coming with a giant scale P 51 Sunday, so I better get off here and get ready. I have my FW on a cycler so I'll bring that and my Hellcat if possible. See you guys there TOMORROW. lol
Larry

TomCrump

I hope that you guys will post some pics from the event.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

So how did it go? Pics please....

prop wash

Boy was it hot.97 degrees and thank God the wind picked up out of the north off Lake Michigan.
Jock[Jim] it was good to see you there with your lovely wife Gale.It was good to whatch you fly and to fly with you,your Hell Cat looked great.I can never say enough about you Cosairs also.I had a little trouble getting my Moki 180 started[glow starters low] in my H9 P47 but it was well worth the effort.My P51 was running real rich on the first flight but the second it was wound up nicely.
Larry it was good to meat you there too.I hope we can all get together at the S.A.C. meet and at Palos Park in August.
Even though I was sopping wet from the heat and Humidity I had a great Time.Tom p.s. picks later

prop wash

Sorry Larry,I ment meet you.[X(] Tom

Larry S

My Feedback: (6)

Hi guys,
glad to finally meet ya all. I took just a few pics and I'll post what I have. I took out my FW 190 this morning for the first time this year and it flew great but did have a small problem with my retracts leading air. Checked them out earlier and everything seemed to work good so back out to our field early tomorrow morning. Here are the pics I have.

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Yup, it was HOT. Only concellation is that it would not be the hottest day around that time time: Sunday was hotter yet. We brought along a pair of water coolers, but both were empty by around 1PM.
This no doubt is why the numbers were down this year: I estimate about 50 warbirds there?

Nontheless, I had a GREAT time, it was actually good weather for flying (clear skies, mild winds). Only major mishap is when a Mustang took off, apparently with ailerons reversed. That CMP Hellcat pilot did a great job of bellying in, when his CJ retracts failed to properly extend. Lesson learned: don't bring a Stuka to a warbird event unless you like being constantly chased. He had the last laugh tho: his tail gunner must have shot the wheels off of a pursuing Mustang, which became evident only when the 'Stang landed.

Sorry, I didn't take any pics. I was just trying to stay cool between flights, altho I did stroll down the flightline a few times to see the other warbirds.

See you guys in August at the Chicago area events.