This was a giant event held in Columbus, OH this weekend. I got invited because I know the event organizer. He gave me and a friend VIP tickets.
It was about the best airshow I’ve ever attended (and I’ve been to Oshkosh 7 times). Displays included: C-5A, C-17, B-52, B-17, B-25, C-47, C-130, T-6, P-38, P-40, P-47, P-63, F-16, F-15, F-18, F-22 and something like 88 P-51s (the largest gathering ever, and more than half of those still flying).
Airshow highlights included the Thunderbirds, Stearmans (Stearmen?), Extra 300, T-6, P-38, P-47, P-63, B-17, B-25, F-15, F-18, F-22 (absolutely amazing), and many, many flights by P-51s. Perhaps the highlight was a close-formation 4-ship flyby: F-15, F-18, F-22 and P-51. I know a couple of guys who were there with their own P-51s and they were quite impressed with everything about this event.
The “Legends” were original P-51 pilots and other celebrities. I shook hands with Bob Hoover, whom many pilots regard as the greatest of all of them. Several original Tuskgee Airmen were there.
Arnold Palmer was there, not because he’s a P-51 pilot, but because Lee Lauderback (event organizer) started out as his private pilot. (Arnold has a reputation as one of the nicest people you could meet, and he did nothing to dispel this - a class act.) Not present was Chuck Yeager, who is apparently a serious prima donna, and whose exotic terms for appearance could not be met.
Weather was absolutely perfect. I haven’t heard the official attendance figures, but I heard estimates of over 100,000 each day.
I’ve decided the VIP ticket is the way to go (especially when it’s a gift). We had a giant tent, free food (of high quality), soft drinks, wine and beer, and a front-row-center view of the airshow.
It isn’t likely this event will happen again, but if it should, by all means be there.