“An airshow that’s not an airshow.” That’s how Dan Gryder started off every morning briefing to all the pilots and crew that were in attendance. Paul Filmer attended the very first Gathering of Warbirds and Legends at Forbes Field, Topeka, Kansas.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Imagine an airshow where waivers for airspace are not required, where FAST cards are not needed and where normal operations continue, even though Forbes Field is an active KC-135 tanker base.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Well that’s exactly the route that Dan Gryder, Brooks Pettit, Scott Glover and Robert Rice took when planning and instigating this “airshow”. This follows on from the successful “The Last Time” DC-3 event that took place at Whiteside Airport, Rock Falls, Illinois in 2010, and the foundations for the Gathering of Warbirds and Legends came from that one-time meet.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The FAA and the airport authority definitely had to scratch their collective heads to get around the concept, but, after many meetings, it was deemed both safe, and because no FARs were being broken, necessitated no waivers of airspace and fell completely within the realm of normal flight operations.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
There would be no aerobatics, no flights below 1000 feet, no aircraft flying above 200 knots, no wing-walkers and no inverted flight – unlike the traditional airshow footprint which comprises of faster, lower and more risky types of flying.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The flying would feature left-hand banana passes, both solo and in formation, which enabled the crowd to see and hear these old aircraft in their element.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
With Air Traffic Control, Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority, the FAA and the local Chamber of Commerce on-board, it was time to get the word out to warbird operators.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
A certain number of slots were allocated to specific types, in order to control the numbers of aircraft they felt they could accommodate, and these slot holders would enjoy the benefits of paid-for hotel accommodation, food and drink, and fuel at an unbelievable rate of $2 per gallon. For future events it’s even hoped that fuel can be covered completely.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The idea was to cover these costs with sponsorship and public entrance fees, and to at least try to break even.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
It was, in effect, a kind of co-operative, where the owners of these aircraft could come together, meet, fly, and spread out the revenues to make the whole event self sufficient, while allowing the public to get up close and personal with these old aircraft.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
But why Topeka, you may well ask? It’s obviously centrally located in the US, plus Forbes Field is an old military base with two runways, lots and lots of unused ramp space, and also houses two museums.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The American Flight Museum, which includes the flying AC-47 “Spooky”, which had the very first slot allocated, and the Combat Air Museum, which has many aircraft that could be displayed alongside some of the flying aircraft participating.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Seeing a line-up of Grumman aircraft, F-14A Tomcat, F9F Panther, F11 Tiger alongside a flying F7F Tigercat was something you’re unlikely to see easily again.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The event was scheduled to happen at the backend of Airventure at Oshkosh to allow owners to literally drop-in from the event in Wisconsin. That meant for any West Coast operators, flying a very expensive across country route twice wasn’t required, and Topeka could be used as a stepping-stone. In fact with the low price of fuel at Topeka it could also help some warbirds to attend Airventure, when they might not normally do so.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
One of the highlights for many was seeing the only two airworthy C-1 Traders flying together each day.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
In fact C-1A Trader N189G ‘Miss Belle’ (bu 146044) of Trader Air Inc and based at this very airfield, saw its first flight after a ten year restoration mere days before this event took place.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Two out of the three airworthy PV2 Harpoons gathered for the first time ever, and we were told that the owners had never met in person before this weekend. To see these two in formation with a pair of C-60 Lodestars in formation over the field was a great sight, and very historic.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The arrival that drew the largest gasp from the participants in the hangar late on Friday was the arrival of John Sessions in the Historic Flight Foundation’s F7F Tigercat “Bad Kitty”. As it flew low over the hangar the pair of 2800 HP Pratt & Whitney engines certainly took everyone by surprise with their loud, low growl.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Talking of historic, it was planned that a three-ship C-47 mass parachute jump – using WWII parachuting equipment – would take place over the weekend. On the practice day on Friday, one C-47 went tech, but the two-ship drop went to plan and on the Saturday all three flew, making this the largest drop of WWII paratrooper equipped personnel since the D-Day landings.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
With all these old aircraft on show, the organisers saw it only fitting to offer free unlimited warbird rides to any WWII-era veteran. This was accomplished using a mixture of PV2 Harpoon, P-51 Mustang, C-60 Lodestar, T-6 Texan and C-47 aircraft.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Cowden Ward Jr. and his P-51 “Pecos Bill” were flying constantly with veterans all weekend at an enormous cost to Cowden, as was Scott Glover using his C-60 Lodestar, C-47 and T-6. Kudos to these guys for providing this opportunity to vets, many of whom had never since even sat in the types of aircraft they flew in or with since the WWII conflict.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
But the watchword that summed up this event for me was community. Lots of unsung volunteers truly made this event happen.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The “airshow that’s not an airshow” was certainly a bold idea, and sets a brand new footprint on the way future airshows could operate.
© Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
In my opinion it can only grow thanks to the insight, dedication and perseverance of Dan, Scott, Brooks and Robert.
What an exciting gathering of WW-II Aircraft. It took me back 70-plus years. Flying in Scott’s C-47 is very special since it is one of the C-47s I flew when stationed in North Africa, Sicily and Italy in 1943. The P-51 and B-17 rides were a once in a lifetime experience that Scott lined up for me. A fantastic trip back to the 1940s. Jerry
I’ve ridden in C-1’s and the antisubmarine version S-2F. Also flew in the T28 trainer, C3 (aka C47). This brings back so many good memories of the 26 years I spent in the Navy as an aviation electronics technician. Thanks you for the pictures and have a very blessed day.
Very interesting. I was in the 343rd Sq. and 90pms at Forbes 1954, 57.
You could get some $ by advertising in face book, Capitol Journal ETC
Post some flyers at the VA Hospitals in Kansas and other places.
There are a lot of disabled veterans that are millionairs but they are totally disabled and will never leave the Hosp alive.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/wgpalm.htm
And
http://55wa.org
Please do not post anymore pictures of our C-47 “Spirit of Hondo” if you are going to post pictures of Scott Glovers C-60!!!!! That Lodestar is so over the top shiny and well restored that I am ashamed to be on the ramp with it in our some what polished but in no way as gorgeous as that Lockheed! Seriously Scott is to be commended on what has to be an award winning piece of work.
Well written and well photographed, Paul: excellent work!