The Antique Airplane Association and Air Power Museum have set the theme for next year’s invitational fly-in, slated for Aug. 27 to Sept. 1, as “Stars of the Sky & Screen.”
One of the best venues for inspiring interest in aviation today, as well as throughout the last 100 years of flight, can be found in entertainment venues, such as movies and airshows, organizers noted. Those venues feature not only today’s modern aerobatic, military and general aviation aircraft but also a number of antique, classic and replica aircraft. Many antique/classic aircraft from movies like “The Great Waldo Pepper,” “The Rocketeer” and “Amelia” have attended past AAA/APM fly-ins.
Next year’s fly-in will showcase those aerobatic aircraft of old and the legendary pilots that flew them, as well as those antiques/classics that have been stars in their own right, whether in a Hollywood blockbuster, a made for TV movie or an independent film.
“While we’re excited over the prospect and hope of gathering together an outstanding collection of those antique/classic aircraft you’ve seen on the silver screen or performing in the sky, we’ll also feature two fine marquees of aircraft that dovetail quite nicely with our “Stars of the Sky & Screen” theme, the Great Lakes and Interstate aircraft,” organizers said in a prepared release.
Interstates were the trainer of choice at the Arlen/Probert and Probert/Devine flying schools in the late 1930s and 1940s. That would be well-known actors Richard Arlen and Andy Devine.
“We hope to have an outstanding group of Interstates attend and plan to include the military and modern variants, the L-6 and Artic Tern, as well,” organizers said.
The iconic Great Lakes 2T-1A (pictured above) has, since the 1920s, been both a legendary aerobatic airplane and a movie star, appearing in such productions as Tarnished Angels and The Rocketeer.
“We’re planning for a large turn out of both early and modern production Great Lakes, including both original and modified aircraft like the “Hunt Special.” The APM’s Great Lakes 2T-1A, N11339, the lone American entrant at the first modern World Aerobatic Contest (1960) in Czechoslovakia, flown by Frank Price will also be on display.
The AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in is sponsored by the Antique Airplane Association and the Air Power Museum, both headquartered at Antique Airfield (IA27) near Blakesburg, Iowa. This By the Members, for the Members event is held on a privately owned airport that receives no federal, state or local monies. While not an airshow nor public event, organizers said they encourage all with an interest in preserving and flying antique and classic aircraft to join the AAA to be able to attend this premiere antique/classic aircraft gathering.
For more information contact the AAA at: 22001 Bluegrass Rd., Ottumwa, Iowa 52501; 641-938-2773, [email protected]; AntiqueAirfield.com
The Blakesburg AAA fly-in is a great time of simple flying. If you want vendors, mobs of people and high energy aerobatics it is not for you. If you want to see and hear incredible antiques flying from a 2300 ft. grass strip then it it is for you. I flew there in my ’46 Aeronca Champ from northern Michigan, and found that Iowa does indeed hold a “Field of Dreams”.