SA Flyer — Edition 263 — September 2017

77 SA Flyer Magazine

The highlight of the night

show, a B -1B Lancer on

full afterburner.

Airshows

Zurakowski, Grey and Donnet.
On 13 of March 1949, Spitfire IXC
BR601 arrived in South Africa for another
tour of duty with the SAAF as 5631.

BOM B E R DAY
Every year AirVenture uses the
Saturday airshow to focus on one particular
aspect of aviation. 2017 was the year of the
bomber, and what a treat was in store for
us.
In commemoration of the 75th
anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, 16 B-25
Mitchell’s got airborne, followed by a B-17.
Then for the first time since the war, two
B-29s ‘Fifi’ and ‘Doc’ got airborne and flew
in formation for the crowds at Oshkosh.
Then the showstopper arrived, the
Northrop B-2 flanked in formation by a
B-1B Lancer and a B-52 Stratofortress. I
actually uttered the words: “Now there’s
something you don’t see every day.” But
that’s Oshkosh and nothing surprises you
after a week. What a thrill to see those
three in the air.
It was also the 75th anniversary of
the 8th Air Force (United States Air Force
Global Strike Command). The 8th Air Force
includes the heart of America’s heavy
bomber force.

THE AIRSHOWS

The airshows featured a star-studded

line up of aerobatic pilots, such as Rob

Holland, Matt Chapman, Kirby Chambliss,

Mike Goulian, Patty Wagstaff, Bill Stein,

Skip Stewart and Sean Tucker.

The aerobatics are world class and

just amazing to watch. The unique acts

are always something to appreciate as

well – John Klatt’s Screamin' Sasquatch

was something really different. Starting

life as a classic 1929 Taperwing Waco,

‘Screamin’ Sasquatch’ has been completely

redesigned and structurally reinforced using

modern day engineering and materials,

along with state-of-the-art technology to

allow the addition of a jet engine to the

aircraft. ‘Screamin’ Sasquatch’ is powered

by dual power plants: a Pratt & Whitney 985

radial engine and a General Electric CJ610

(J85) jet engine with 3,000 lbs of thrust.

Total thrust of the combined engines is

rated at 4,500 lbs. A three bladed Hartzell

propeller is used to harness the power of

the 985 radial. This system allows the plane

to achieve feats other stunt planes are

unable to do, along with reaching speeds

up to 250 mph. Snap rolls, spins, barrel

rolls and the hover are among the list of

manoeuvres this aircraft can perform. The

plane has a thrust ratio greater than 1 to 1,

which allows it to accelerate going straight

up.

The Twin Tigers performing a dual

display with two Yak-55s flying through

giant smoke rings was something unique

as well.

The night airshows were a blast.

Flypasts of a B-1B Lancer on full

afterburner lit up the skies while airshow

performers flew magical routines with LED

lit-up aircraft and pyrotechnics. The show

ends with a 15-minute firework display

paralleled only by the 4th of July and Disney

World.

APOLLO 50TH ANNIVERSARY

Space travel was a big theme this year,

with NASA setting up an interactive area for

young and old.

Astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Frank Borman,

Walt Cunningham, Joe Engle, Fred

Haise, Jim Lovell, Al Worden, and flight

director Gene Kranz were present. A very

interesting panel discussion took place at

the Theatre in the Woods on the succession

of Gemini and Apollo missions.

Looking ahead to the future of mankind

in space, Aldrin said, “I believe humanity