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A Really Big Show...in the Air - Part I
By Ben Keirn, Contributing Editor & Photographer
Columbia City, Indiana
A wild overflight as the P-51 raced by.

A really big show deserves a really big article, and the Grissom Air and Space Expo was just such a show. The event was fantastic, with two days of fun and entertainment, dozens of aircraft on the ground and in the air, and aviation fans galore. Alright, alright, I've held you in suspense for long enough. I couldn't help but tell you about, and show you, all of the amazing static displays at Grissom. But we are, after all, aviation fans...which means aerial action is our lifeblood.

And the action started the moment we hit the gates. Or more to the point, the action started the day before people hit the gates. The day before the big show, there was a practice show. The public wasn't invited, but we also weren't turned away. With an unusual seat, you could see parts of the airshow never seen at airshow center. The clouds were low, but the action was high!

A high-speed pass looks a lot different when you're just a few yards from the airplane. During the windup for the low and fast flyby, this P-51 roared by eager spectators who braved the cold breeze and drizzle to get a preview on practice day. What was exhilarating for us must have been utterly terrifying for the opposition when this plane was in active combat.

The Thunderbirds in tighter than tight formation.

The low ceilings on the practice day meant that the US Airforce Thunderbirds practiced their "low show." With many formation, solo, and opposing passes, this show never fails to thrill audiences. Of course, the amazing precision that these men and women of the US Airforce achieve comes from a combination of God-given skill and days, weeks, and months of honing those skills. Until finally, you can fly by at over a hundred miles an hour in six F-16's closer together than two teenagers on date night.

"It's time to buzz the tower."

One of the great things about airshows is that they are steeped in all kinds of history. And a strafing run by a P-51 wasn't the only historic replay at Grissom. The unique viewing location near the old, closed down tower gave a rare shot of one of the Thunderbirds in flight. Afterburner glowing, condensation trailing from practically every surface, and a fighter on its wingtip just added to the effect as that famous flyby scene from Top Gun was replayed before our very eyes. But that's enough of the gray day. When we all lined up to enter the airshow on Saturday, you wouldn't have believed you were at the same place; unless, of course, you're used to Midwestern weather shifts.

Golden Knights circling the jump site.
Streamers away! The crepe paper streamers used to gage the winds from altitude flutter their way to the ground.
Jumpers away! The Golden Knight's honored task of carrying the American flag down to the ceremony from on high.

The opening ceremonies at any airshow, and especially at a military base, demand the presence of the nation's flag. Grissom was well prepared, with the Golden Knights on hand to put on a spectacular display of skydiving skill, while simultaneously presenting the colors of our nation while the Star-Spangled Banner was sung.

The Golden Knights get the formation flying started
And then the starburst.

The day was filled with aerial action and multiple displays of extreme skill. Though formation flying is something typically seen at airshows, it isn't often that the fliers form up on each other sans aircraft. The last big display by the Golden Knights was to get the formation flying started with a five man team performing a group dive, followed by a starburst breakup before popping their chutes.

The refueling wing's KC-135 flies by doing what it does best; keeping fuel hungry military jets airborne.
An A-10 squeezing out contrails even on the much drier airshow day

The Air Force folks couldn't let the Army boys have all the fun. We were, after all, guests at an Air Force base. And being the home of the Refueling Wing, the obvious show starter was a KC-135 strutting its stuff. Fighter pilots aren't the only ones who fly in formation. The fine men and women flying the air tankers have to keep their ships in precise control so the boom operators can hook up to thirsty aircraft. But once the fuel was replenished, it was time for the big boys to move on and the more agile planes to show off their maneuvers. In spite of a drastic drop in humidity on airshow day, the A-10 pilots were pulling so hard they could still eek out some condensation off of their wingtips.

Greg Koontz is a real pushover; more to the point, his Super Decathlon is a pushover when Koontz is at the controls.
Draggin the Line...err, cutting the line...inverted!

The first solo act of the day, and the last act for this article, was Greg Koontz in his Super Decathlon. This airshow was just fantastically huge. Act after act gave it their all, and Koontz was no exception to that rule. Ever the showman, he talks over the radio, bantering with the announcer the whole time he's flying inverted, alternating between positive and negative G's, hurtling toward the ground, and clawing at the sky. If you want to be like Greg, you can head down to his ranch and stay at Sky Country Lodge while you can learn aerobatic flying in his planes. Or, if you're really looking to ramp it up, head on over to peruse the Aerobatic category on Barnstormers.com, where you can find several Super Decathlons, among other multifarious airshow worthy planes. And don't forget to check back for a future article where I'll cover the rest of the aircraft that showed up and showed off at the Grissom Air and Space Expo.

By Ben Keirn, Contributing Editor & Photographer
Columbia City, Indiana
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