One of the highlights for me of the fly-in occurred at the very end
with the departure of the west coasters in a flight of 3...Kevin K.,
Kim P., and Erich T.
Following an offset/staggered formation take off (which would have
compared favorably to any ANG F-16 gaggle), they had agreed to a
request for a high speed low pass which would be captured digitally
for posterity.
Taking a wide pattern, they were seen joining up in a gentle
climb...the minutes ticked by...photographers out on the runway
readied their cameras.
First seen as specks, they descended and accellerated...yes, it would
be a LOW pass indeed. As they approached...3 monowheels, LG tucked,
at (seemingly) WOT, they were nonetheless whisper-quiet...and
gradually observers could hear the increasing whine of the 914s. The
harmonics of multiple engines were audible and which quickly became a
roar.
One photographer was taken back to a time at Oshkosh when he
experienced a symphony of Merlins during a fly by of Kermit Weeks'
Mosquito bomber and the synchronized Allisons of a P-38 Lightning...
(you had to have been there). The photographer became lost in his
reverie.
And in a split second they were overhead...and they were
gone...climbing into the sun, and heading home.
Alas...the photographer has decided to keep his day job...
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