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

Selfridge Air Show 2011 Photo Review
Warbirds at Selfridge ANG Base, Mt. Clemens, MI - August 20-21, 2011 (Photos taken Sunday, August 21)  

Weather at the show varied all day.  There were early clouds in the morning which cleared out to blue skies in the middle of the day.  However, rain kept dancing around the area and finally arrived right at the end during the Legacy Flight.  Half an hour later the skies were blue again. Timing is everything.

The cool thing about going out to the airshows is one never knows what is going to be found.  Just when one thinks there are no new aircraft to see another unknown pops up.  Here is a Schweizer TG-7A motorized glider that was used by the US Air Force Academy from 1982 until 2003.  Twelve were built under the Schweizer designation SGM 2-37 with nine going to the Academy.  This aircraft is serial number 11 and is owned by the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum in Detroit, MI.  The group also owns serial number 6 and 9  which were also at the show.  Nine of the twelve are still on the FAA Registry.

All three TG-7s flew in the show.  This photo was taken from the static ramp which is about a half a mile from the show line.  I hope to see more of these fly in the future.

The Tuskegee Airmen National Museum had one of the more popular and education displays at the show with its T-6G.  Before being converted to a T-6G in 1951 this airframe was T-6C 42-48884, and actually served with the Tuskegee Airmen in Alabama, making it a rare and very historical warbird.

Cockpit photos were free or for a small donation.

Yankee Air Force C-47.

Yankee Air Force B-25.

Yankee Air Force B-17.

P-51 Moonbeam McSwine owned and flown by Vlado Lenoch.  Note the jumper from the US Air Force Academy jump team in the background.

Vultee SNV "California Girl" was on hand.

Bruce Koch brought "California Girl" in from Goodrich, MI.

The Ohio Valley Wing of the CAF had its L-6 on display.

Paul Wood put on an excellent demonstration in his F-86F.  The Sabre is part of the expanding collection of pristine warbirds he is putting together at the Warbird Heritage Foundation Museum in Waukegan, IL 

The T-6 from the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum did several passes along with the B-17, B-25 and C-47. 

"Yankee Lady" made several passes during the show.

YAF B-25.

C-47 from the Yankee Air Force. 

One of the TG-7s departs during the show.

A KC-135 from Selfridge makes a show pass.

Selfridge A-10s in a fighter break.

At this point I returned to the static ramp as it was time for several civilian aerobatic acts which were of no interest to me.  It was during this period around 1:30 or so when Todd Green fell to his death in attempting to pass from a Stearman to a helicopter.  I was unaware of the accident until some 10 minutes or so after the accident.  After a delay it was decided to fly the Mustang, F-18 Demo and Legacy Flight.  Several civilian aerobatic acts were scrubbed.

Vlado Lenoch during his aerobatic routine.

Looking through the speaker tower and guy wires is Vlado making a high speed pass down the runway.

Dave Folk in the Corsair was at another aviation event in Alma, MI but came over for the Legacy Flight.  Here Dave and Vlado do a formaiton pass.  The skies were constantly changing as rain moved in and out of the area.

One last pass.

Dave is coming from the NE were the sky is black.

As Dave wraps around to the SE it is clear blue sky with clouds.  It won't stay that way for long.

The F-18 Demo launches with 3 members of Rich's Incredible Pyro sitting on the grass watching.

Both F-18s launched.  One did the demo while the second formed up with Dave in the Corsair and circled behind the crowd.

I have never seen two F-18s and a warbird in a Legacy Flight.

It was raining during this portion of the show.

Break! 

Remember Rich Gibson and the Pyro crew?  They had a whole lot of pyro that was left over from a cancelled act.  So as both Super Hornets make a pass the crew blew it all up.  Once put on the field the pyro can not be recovered.  It must be consumed.

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