ISSUE 630 - April 14, 2020 • Over 9,000 Total Ads Listed • 1,000+ NEW Ads Per Week |
We Miss You, Sun 'n Fun |
Dana Brejakova, Contributing Writer & Photographer |
So here we are, the whole world in a lockdown. Toilet paper is nowhere to be found and there is no one in the streets. If I did not know that it was novel corona virus shaking the world, my next best guess would be - the zombie apocalypse is here! Haha.
As the STAY HOME measures took over our everyday lives where almost everything I could think of is a no-no, fly-ins are not taking place either. Do not get me wrong, I am not complaining at all, I fully understand we all now have to move like one man to minimize the spread to be able to go back to our good old routines as soon as possible, however, what a bummer! After the initial shock, I calmed down and started browsing through my photo libraries recalling some of the best memories from so many wonderful Fly-Ins, Airshows, and flying adventures. It does not take too long for me to start smiling wide and soon enough I am pulling out the best photographs. This time of year it would be the Sun N Fun time, which is, obviously, not going to happen. Even though there is a lot of disappointment across the community, do not worry. We can have 2019 Sun N Fun as our 2020 Sun N Fun. I found some pictures in my box of goodies and I decided to throw them your way just as well.
Day 1 - Walking Around
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Gathering of Mustangs P-51 in the late afternoon. This Little Witch got my immediate attention. I wonder why. |
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Swamp Fox bathing in a late afternoon sun. The reflections on the fuselage looked stunning. |
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Bright red nose ... that could only be ... the Mad Max. |
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2019 Sun N Fun also welcomed a rare gem - beautifully restored and kept in an amazing shape - North American F-82 Twin Mustang. This war bird was attracting so much attention, it was impossible to take a clean shot. Instead, I focused on its insides. Peeking in, I found this beautifully restored fire extinguisher bottle. Happy with the shot I left the bee hive surrounding this bird. |
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Another war bird in excellent condition - B - 17F Flying Fortress Memphis Belle with the Petty girl in her blue suit on the port side and red suit o the starboard. |
Day 2 - Adventure On Board C-47 Skytrain "That's All, Brother"
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Yes, we got in! The 40 minutes ride in majestic C-47 was all Jimmy the Squirrel's idea as he knew that was a very unique opportunity. Jimmy did not wait for anything and booked us both on board days ago. A bit expensive ticket, but once you put your money into such experience, it is beyond well spent. Imagine, we were on board of the same aircraft that was scheduled to fly with whole fleet of C-47s over the Atlantic to celebrate the D-day 75th Anniversary in Normandy. Wow!
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Almost perfect circle lake under the long wing with the classic invasion stripes. Wonderful shot by Jimmy the Squirrel. |
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Jimmy the Squirrel could not help it and had to scan the technical aspect of the aircraft through an eye of the aerospace engineer. He was very pleased with the very good condition and clean job on wire management. |
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A view that deserves some serious bragging. No one will ever take this one away from us. Cockpit of C-47 and the crew. What an amazing sight! |
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Detail on the engine levers. |
Day 2, Second Half - The Roaring Airshows in the Sky
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AeroShell Team in their North American AT-6s, performing sky high loops and spectacular chaotic dispersions that look completely random, however, very precise planning and maneuvering stand behind all those. |
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Finishing another loop. AeroShell Team can perform the loops in such elegant and smooth way it almost looks like they are hooked in some invisible pathways up there. When you are so good in something so difficult then the outcome looks easy and so effortless. |
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Looks like these two decided to go and hug the cloud. |
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Flattering angle for the AT-6s, exposing the unmistakable elegant silhouette. |
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Bright red nimble biplane LUCAS performing crazy rolls, vertical dives and climbs. I always hop around like one happy bunny when the performers use smoke. Stunning visuals. |
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The sky got dressed into different hues of overcast that created wonderful contrast and texture for the red bird. |
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And, don't forget to buzz the tower! |
Day 3 - Blue Angels Mania
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I could hardly wait. I had never seen Blue Angels performing live before. I knew we were in for a treat but I did not know that my expectations were about to be wildly exceeded. Such power and precision happening right above your nose is difficult to describe by words.
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After the elite squadron Blue Angels arrived, one could spot them here and there in the sky. The elite squadron was flying around, scouting, and mapping the terrain as a part of their detailed preparation for the airshow. |
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Later in the afternoon, the show is ON! Blue Angels working the crowd. Beautiful tight formation. |
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Fabulous pass which always looks like a collision at first, which makes everyone scream in awe. |
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What a symmetry. Blue Angels flirting with perfection. |
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Beautiful dive in another tight formation that broke my goosebumps meter thanks to a very special audio. |
Not that watching these guys is not goose-bumpy already, however, the element that was added was simply genius. For a moment, the music production from the speakers was muted and, instead, the radio communication between the Boss and the squadron was transmitted. What we all heard was something sensational - the Boss giving directions to the squadron in a very deep throat voice, which sounded like a whispering and singing at the same time. KA-BOOM! My mind was blown. I have read about this unique way of communication between Blue Angels before but hearing it while seeing these guys move like one man - very different story.
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You never know what direction these guys will sneak up on you. When you see them passing the crowd by in a formation and disappearing behind the horizon, you can be sure that after a few moments you will be buzzed by a super fast fly-by. This was a low one which let us all see them so close, however, almost impossible to catch on a photo. |
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Blue Angels 6 and 7 performing slow pass while "Slow Ride" song from Foghat was rocking from the giant speakers. |
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Once again, Blue Angels sneaking up on the crowd. And once again, I was not fast enough to catch them all in the frame. However, I kept this picture because it transmits the whole ambiance of that hot afternoon in Florida - crowd cheering, me trying to enjoy the show while taking pictures, feeling a slight pain on my ankles as I burnt them in the sun, Jimmy the Squirrel explaining me technical details which I was not paying attention to at all as I was woohooing most of the time. Sorry, Jimmy. |
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Blue Angels landing and taxiing to their spots passing the commentary station where the members of the team were explaining the performance to the excited spectators. |
Day 3, Second Half - Airshows Continued
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Kyle Franklin in his beautiful Waco performing a thrilling show. |
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All camera lens love the bold look of Kyle's Dracula. |
The three full days passed so fast. Spectacular dose of aviation to the max and it felt fantastic. Suddenly, it was Saturday morning and we were leaving. With a slight post-airshow blues I packed all stickers, guides, and tickets for my diary and we were off back to Texas. So long Sun N Fun, till the next time!
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