The Rocky Mountain Airshow isn’t on the radar as a major airshow, but it is the largest held in Colorado. Paul Filmer reports from his home state.
B-29 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
From a photographer’s point of view, it is an airshow that suffers by being backlit while the aircraft are flying.
RV-8 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
This means you have to get creative with angles and make the most of any cloud cover if available.
TBM-3E – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The star of the show was undoubtedly the Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) B-29A Superfortress FIFI.
B-29 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
The CAF also brought along B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil, flying alongside the Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s P-51D The Brat III.
P-51D – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Other highlights included Younkin Airshows’ Beech 18 Magic by Moonlight.
Beech 18 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
I don’t think I’ve seen a Beech 18 flown so well, with lots of wing-overs, loops and smoke. Very impressive.
Beech 18 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
One other stand out, for me, was the FM-2 Wildcat, which displayed lots of power and lots of noise from this surprisingly agile aircraft.
FM-2 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
As usual this airshow is bulked out by local owners’ aircraft, of which we have quite a few knocking around.
Jet Provost T.5 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
It has become something of a tradition that at the end of the established acts, most of the locals are launched into low holding patterns around the airfield, giving nice banana passes and low flights down the runway.
CJ-6 and L-29 – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
This year it was merged into an airfield attack, with the main pyros saved for the final pass of the B-29.
OSULLIVAN MICHAEL Spitfire Mk.26B – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
A micro-burst part way through Sunday’s show, prevented the B-29 and B-24 from flying and caused the Beech 18 to divert to nearby Erie.
“Kate” replica – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Later in the day, after Airfield Operations had cleared the airfield of debris, the event continued, and by this time there were a few dark clouds around, which diffused the light nicely for a while.
“Zero” replica – © Paul Filmer – globalaviationresource.com
Rocky Mountain Metro Airport puts on a nice local airshow, but it remains a challenging one to shoot.
