Above the crowd, the roaring engines were vibrant and alive as history flew by. War Birds in Action was not just an air show, it was a piece of history in the present, restored and preserved.
The air show took place at Minter Field in Shafter, April 21.
There were still planes arriving when the show started at about 11 a.m. Because of the weather, many of the aircraft were not able to arrive when expected and others not at all.
“Weather always trumps everything. All you can do is try,” said Dean Craun, director of public relations for the Minter Field Air Museum. “It’s kind of like putting an air show together. All you can do is ask people to show, and even if people tell you they are going to show, sometimes they don’t.”
“We were going to have a MiG here, and it’s not coming,” said Craun. The MiG was the Russian fighter plane counterpart to the American fighters, made famous during the Cold War in movies like Top Gun.
One of the last planes to arrive was the Fieseler-Storch, a World War II German airplane.
“They were produced for liaison, reconnaissance, artillery spotting, ambulance work and general transportation,” said Steve Ericson from Lancaster, pilot of the Storch.
“About 1,000 of these were built and only about a dozen of them remain, and this is the only one in the world that is flown routinely.”
It’s ability to take off and land within a minimal distance is distinctive. According to Ericson, “It’s capable of landing and taking off in very, very short distances, typically measured within a couple of fuselage or wingspans.
“The major generals all had their own Storch so they could get around the fronts and observe the troops. It was like a jeep.”
“It is armed with a machine gun at the back and that was called a ‘respect gun,'” said Ericson. “That was in case a fighter came in behind you trying to shoot you down, you’d make him think twice about it. But it’s more of a defensive weapon than an offensive weapon.”
Also present for viewing was a Japanese Mitsubushi A6M Zero. “There’s no war history on this, it’s just pieces that were put back together and made into an airplane,” said Jason Somes, pilot of the Zero, which were used by the Japanese during World War II. In addition to being a pilot, Somes is the air show coordinator for the Commemorative Air Force, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and showing historical aircraft.
“That’s ours as well,” said Somes pointing at the plane next to the Zero. “That’s an American Northrop-Grumman F-6 Hellcat, that was the nemesis of this airplane, (referring to the Zero.) These airplanes fought in World War II.”
The show was not limited strictly to World War II era aircraft.
“The air show commemorates the World War II aircraft primarily, but we do branch out into other theaters. The Vietnam War is represented here. The Korean War will be represented,” said Craun.
Robert Stambovsky, 63, brought his Jet Provost T5 to the show. “The British Royal Air Force used these airplanes from about 1972-1992,” said Stambovsky, a retired Marine of 39 years. “They trained RAF and Royal Navy pilots in it, a primary trainer and lead in fighting tactics.
“It’s got a Rolls Royce engine producing 2,500 pounds of thrust. I love it, oh man, I tell everybody I drive a Rolls Royce.”
According to Stambovsky, it takes passion to do what he does.
“You’ve got to have a passion for it, either you do or you don’t,” said Stambovsky.
The Thunder Delfins, an aerobatic team from Southern California, were also present and flew their four L-29 Delfins in formation back and forth across the field.
The L-29 Delfin was the first jet ever designed and constructed in Czechoslovakia.
After the Thunder Delfins’ demonstration, the crowd cheered and waved as they landed and taxied back to where they were parked for the audience to view, in between
Stambovsky’s Jet Provost T5 and the CAF’s Japanese Zero.
The U.S. Amy provided two helicopters, an UH-1 Huey and an UH-60 Black Hawk, which were flown in from Fort Erwin, to participate in the show. People were allowed to climb inside the helicopters and did so freely.
Al Goss, a native to the Minter Field area, flew his North American AT-6, built in 1945, named the Warlock. “This was the advanced trainer. Before pilots went into any front line fighter they had to first go through this airplane and be checked out in an AT-6,” said Goss.
Goss explained why the show was limited to mere flybys.
“The show’s a little different this year because we didn’t have an aerobatic waiver so nobody can do any aerobatic maneuvers. So everybody is having to fly kind of high for an air show, but at least it’s an air show and we hope to get it back, like it was, next year,” said Goss.
According to Goss, the reason they didn’t have an aerobatic waiver was because the paperwork wasn’t turned in on time.
Many of the airplanes, that were available for viewing, were for sale.
Early in the show, a remote control model airplane performed for the audience, flying by and then shooting straight up into the sky at an incredulous speed for such a small aircraft.
The model planes were brought to the show by the Bakersfield Airplane Radio Kontrol club and were on display near the main entrance to Minter Field.
“This has been great. Usually in the past the crowds kind of walked through and that was about it, they didn’t ask a lot of questions. A lot of people really seemed interested and not just in the models, in everything else,” said Al Lockhart of Bakersfield, model owner and guest of BARK’s.
“This model is an F-15 Eagle. It’s about 19 years old. It’s from an original Byron’s kit,” said Lockhart as he described the small plane, about as long as Lockhart was tall, that can reach speeds of 140-145 mph. Byron Originals is a company that makes model airplanes.
“I’ve been here in the past, twice,” said attendee Curtis Fago, age 15. Fago said that the bomber B-17, known as the ‘Flying Fortress’ was not there, “but other than that, it was some good stuff. The jets came back, they flew first this time instead of last. That’s pretty much what I came for.”
There were many vendors selling toy airplanes and military vehicles, drinks, food, dog tags, and assorted clothing apparel. Two clowns, known as Nosey and Claydoh even made an appearance, dressed to amuse and entertain as they made balloon animals for children near one of the entrances to the field.
Although some plane owners did charge appearance fees, many of the pilots and plane owners were not paid to take part in the air show. Instead, besides hospitality, the only thing they requested for their participation was fuel for their planes. That and their love for aviation, the preservation of history and to share it all with the public, was enough to motivate the pilots, owners and everyone else involved, in preparing and participating in the air show.