Friday, August 13, 2021

Thunder Over Michigan 2021 - Part II - The Afternoon Show

 After roughly 2 hours to allow the morning crowds to clear, the afternoon show began.  The lighting was a little better but there was still haze and some humidity.  It was still pretty nice temperature wise.

I know I posted pictures of the B-25s in the last post, but the lighting was better for the afternoon, so I will post some more.  The B-25 "Wild Cargo" was deliver to the Army Air Force in December of 1944.  It was used a training aircraft to transition pilots to multi-engine aircraft.  It was also used in the training of foreign pilots.  She was sold as surplus in 1958.  After many years and many owners, she was returned to airworthy status in 2005 and currently resides at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
This B-25 was delivered to service in 1943.  Originally she was slated to be a lend lease bomber for the Royal Air Force but she was assigned to the 12th Air Force in Italy in 1944.  She flew 8 combat missions.  She was returned to the United States later that year and then released to the Royal Canadian Air Force.  In 1988, she was acquired by the Yankee Air Force and named "Yankee Warrior".   Last year, she was repainted and given her current name.  She is one of three surviving B-25s with a combat record.
Lady Luck was delivered in 1945 when the contract with North American Aviation was closed.  Because she was not needed for the war effort, she was placed in storage.  In 1958, she was stricken from the record and sold as surplus.  She was sold to her current owners in 1993.
Another aircraft that was delivered in 1945.  She was used as a navigator trainer until 1957.  In 1959, she was sold as war surplus.  She was acquired by the Confederate Air Force in 1982.  In 1987, her original nose was damaged in an accident and it was replaced with a nose from another B-25.
Maid in the Shade was delivered in June of 1944.  She was flown by the 319th Bomb Group on Corsica.  She flew 15 combat missions.  In 1959, she was sold as surplus.  She was donated to the Confederate Air Force in 1981.
MB II was delivered to the Marine Corps in 1945 and was designated as a patrol bomber.  She was sold in 1947 as surplus.  She was flyable again in 2016 and is known as the only flying PBJ.
The Devil Dog was delivered to the Army Air Force in 1945.  She served as a trainer and was sold as surplus in 1958.  She was acquired by the American Airport Heritage Museum in 2001.  She had a major accident and was restored in 2016.
Another B-25 delivered in June of 1945.  In 1952, she was transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force.  In 1962, she was sold as surplus.  She was bought by her current owner in 2005.
Georgie's Gal was delivered in July of 1945.  She was used as a trainer.  In 1959, she was sold as surplus.  In 2011, she was bought by the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton Ohio.
She was acquired by the Army Air Force in July of 1944.  She was used as a trainer.  She was sold as surplus in 1957.  She is currently owned by the Champaign Aviation Museum in Urbana, Ohio.
The Yankee Doodle is owned by the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Batavia, Ohio.
Take Off Time was acquired by the Army Air Force in 1945.  In 1950, she was assigned to Selfridge Field where she was used as a Utility Craft.  In 1958, she was sold for surplus.  She is currently owned by Claire Aviation in Pennsylvania.
Another pass of Wild Cargo.
Another pass of Rosie's Reply.
Another pass of Show Me.
Miss Mitchell was delivered to the Army Air Force in November of 1944.  She was used as a trainer and was sold as Surplus in 1958.  She was restored in 1992 which was the 50th Anniversary of the Doolittle Raid.
Another pass of the Killer B.
I like the fact that they had them in formation.
Just wish I could have gotten a decent picture of the whole group.
The E/A-18 returned for a brief demonstration.
There must have been some issues because she circled the field for a little bit.
Another heritage pass.  it seemed like they were a little closer this time.
I like this picture.
Another pass.
The A400M went up for another flight.
The lighting was better but it wasn't quite as humid.
Another shot of her.
A P-51 Mustang going through its paces.
Another shot of it.
I liked the fact that they had the B-17 under escort.
The Yankee Lady passes by.
Another shot of her.
The P-51 Gentleman Jim.
Mad Max on another pass.
Cincinnati Miss.
Another pass of Cincinnati Miss.
And then there was the demonstration of the A-10 Thunderbolt.
In landing configuration.
Another pass.
I would not want to be on this end of an A-10.
I kind of like this shot.
And the highlight of the afternoon would have been the Thunderbirds.
The diamond pass.
A maneuver by the diamond.
Another pass of the diamond.
The opposing solos going up.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any good passing shots of them.
Another shot of the diamond.
And another.
The mirror formation.
The four planes in echelon formation.
They pass by in landing configuration.
A break.
Passing by in slow motion.
The five ship formation.
Another diamond.
The six Thunderbirds in the delta formation.
The low altitude bomb burst.  I almost didn't get this shot because some people were leaving early and their tall vehicles were messing with my shots.
The last past of the delta.  They were basing out of Selfridge because of space concerns at Willow Run.  I think that had an impact on their timing.

My only real complain is that the Airport Police could have routed the traffic out better.  It took an hour to leave.


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