Air Fest 2007 part 7-let the rumpus begin!!

[beaky]

After the KC flyby and the C130 drop, it was time for Otto, the perennial airshow performer, to strut his stuff. This is retired Army flight instructor Roger Buis in a Schweizer C300C... he does some incredible stuff, and really entertains by having "Otto" nod, shake his head, and do all sorts of things interacting with the announcer. This is some superb helicopter flying... he must be busy as a one-armed paper-hanger with hives while doing these maneuvers, and he makes it look easy.
"Otto" is a kids' favorite with his googly eyes and saucy attitude... he can even blow up a balloon like it was bubble gum.

     




     

     



Next up was Panchito, a resplendent B25 operated by the Disabled American Veterans... a real honey.

     




She flew a couple of simulated bombing passes...

     

Complete with ground charges to simulate an exploding bomb. Very hard to predict the explosion without seeing a bomb drop, and of course this guy hove into the frame the one time I caught it...


     


A real flying legend... the mighty Mitchell.
     




Even more polished WWII metal: Crazy Horse, the fabulous dual-control P-51 owned by the Stallion 51 organization... yes, they give lessons in it.


     





     




     




     


Next: Texan and Trojan!!

[Willit Run]

Great shots, Sean!!

 Man he can handle that chopper!!

 You should have knocked the hat off the guy that stepped in front of you!!

 Love the Stang and the B-25!!  Did they fly together at all?

[Hagar]

Nice shiny warbirds. I like that little bug-eyed chopper.

of course this guy hove into the frame the one time I caught it...

All part of the fun.

[beaky]

Great shots, Sean!!

 Man he can handle that chopper!!

 You should have knocked the hat off the guy that stepped in front of you!!

 Love the Stang and the B-25!!  Did they fly together at all?

1)yessiree... He didn't do any fully inverted moves, but he did some rapid rotations and things that were amazing. I've also seen him pick up a wingwalker on a skid off the top wing of a stearman in flight, at a different show a few years back.
The "Otto"  act is unique, too- never seen anything like it (using an aircraft as a character in a sort of skit).  :)

2)- It all happened in a heartbeat, and the SOB was on the other side of the barricade...

3)-sorry, but they didn't. But don't be sad... you'll like what's coming.

[beaky]

Nice shiny warbirds. I like that little bug-eyed chopper.

of course this guy hove into the frame the one time I caught it...

All part of the fun.

Aye... gotta just grin and bear it. The only thing that really ticked me off this time was my camera... it does some very devilish things when the power runs low, and my new charger doesn't seem to quite top off the batteries. I'm going to have to suck it up and spring for a proper DSLR pretty soon...

[Hagar]

Nice shiny warbirds. I like that little bug-eyed chopper.

of course this guy hove into the frame the one time I caught it...

All part of the fun.

Aye... gotta just grin and bear it. The only thing that really ticked me off this time was my camera... it does some very devilish things when the power runs low, and my new charger doesn't seem to quite top off the batteries. I'm going to have to suck it up and spring for a proper DSLR pretty soon...

Maybe it's the batteries? You could try recycling them. I know how frustrating it can be when things don't work as they should. Always seems to happen at the worst possible time. It's no better with a DSLR.

[Souichiro]

Love the Mitchell especially. They are quite agile actually. I saw the DBAF do thing with theirs a couple of years ago. Including extremely low passing and stuff like that. It's going to be re-registred to PH-XXV soon which is a nice registration.


Lovely pics! Keep em coming!

[beaky]

Nice shiny warbirds. I like that little bug-eyed chopper.

of course this guy hove into the frame the one time I caught it... ::)

All part of the fun.

Aye... gotta just grin and bear it. The only thing that really ticked me off this time was my camera... it does some very devilish things when the power runs low, and my new charger doesn't seem to quite top off the batteries. I'm going to have to suck it up and spring for a proper DSLR pretty soon...

Maybe it's the batteries? You could try recycling them. I know how frustrating it can be when things don't work as they should. Always seems to happen at the worst possible time. It's no better with a DSLR. ::)

It's not so much that they don't last as long as they should... it's the $*&!@ electronic viewfinder... there's still enough juice left for a few shots, but it won't come up quickly (I have to power down between groups of shots), forcing me to have to toggle between LCD and viewfinder a few times... grrr....

[Hagar]

Nice shiny warbirds. I like that little bug-eyed chopper.

of course this guy hove into the frame the one time I caught it... ::)

All part of the fun.

Aye... gotta just grin and bear it. The only thing that really ticked me off this time was my camera... it does some very devilish things when the power runs low, and my new charger doesn't seem to quite top off the batteries. I'm going to have to suck it up and spring for a proper DSLR pretty soon...

Maybe it's the batteries? You could try recycling them. I know how frustrating it can be when things don't work as they should. Always seems to happen at the worst possible time. It's no better with a DSLR. ::)

It's not so much that they don't last as long as they should... it's the $*&!@ electronic viewfinder... there's still enough juice left for a few shots, but it won't come up quickly (I have to power down between groups of shots), forcing me to have to toggle between LCD and viewfinder a few times... grrr....

I forget which batteries your camera uses but I always carry a fully charged spare set. If they're standard AA rechargeables like my Fuji I also have at least one set of dry cells for emergencies.

[Isak922]

I've seen both Panchito and "Otto" at the Gainesville Airshow a few years back. Infact, I got to sit under Panchito  ;D Those engines sure do make an extremely hot summer day on a taxi-way very cool  8-)

Otto was also equally amazing  :o

[Roughrider]

Great shots Sean, Did Otto play with his giant YO-YO. I saw him in Pittsburgh and he picked up a cable that had a giant spool on it, and he made it go up & down like a YO-YO, the guy is good. Air Fest 2007 sounds alot like the same thing that will be in Pittsburgh June 16 & 17. Check it out www.wingsoverpittsburgh.com the Thunderbird's will be here and its all free. Something you guys in the east should consider.

[Roughrider]

Nice shiny warbirds. I like that little bug-eyed chopper.

of course this guy hove into the frame the one time I caught it...

All part of the fun.

Aye... gotta just grin and bear it. The only thing that really ticked me off this time was my camera... it does some very devilish things when the power runs low, and my new charger doesn't seem to quite top off the batteries. I'm going to have to suck it up and spring for a proper DSLR pretty soon...

You mean to tell me all these great shots your post are not taken with a DSLR. Thats unbelievable. Please get a new one, I can't wait to see the shots.