ALL FIVE OF THE P-38s

1. THERE ARE ONLY SEVEN P-38s IN FLYING CONDITION LEFT IN THE WORLD OUT OF OVER 10,000 BUILT.  FIVE OF THE SEVEN WERE AT THIS SHOW

2. NICE OLD GUY NEXT TO A P-38.  ACTUALLY THERE'S QUITE A BIT MORE TO THE STORY THAN THAT.  THIS IS COLONEL BILL HARRIS.  NOW 94 YEARS OLD.  HE WAS IN A WHEEL CHAIR AND HAS GREAT DIFFICULTY WALKING THE FEW STEPS TO POSE AT THE PLANE.  HE'S A WW II ACE WITH FIFTEEN AERIAL KILLS OF JAP AIRCRAFT AND FLEW ON THE MISSION THAT SHOT DOWN AND KILLED JAPANESE ADMIRAL YAMAMOTO.  THIS PLANE IS PAINTED EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE HE FLEW IN THE PACIFIC.

3. THE NEW F-22 RAPTOR.  IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ONE FLY YOU SHOULD MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO DO SO IF THEY'RE AT AN AIRSHOW NEAR YOU.  THEY MAY BE STEALTHY TO RADAR BUT THEY SURE AREN'T TO NOISE.  NEVER HEARD A PLANE THAT YOU COULD FEEL AS A STRONGPRESSURE ON YOUR CHEST WHEN IT FLEW BY WITH FULL AFTER BURNERS ON.

4. THEY'RE A VERY SINISTER LOOKING TITANIUM GREY.  THE F-18s THE BLUE ANGELS FLY HAVE 35,000 POUNDS OF JET THRUST.  THE RAPTOR HAS 70,000!  UNBELIEVABLE MANUEVERABILITY.  CAN HOVER LIKE A HARRIER JUMP JET AND STOP AND TURN 180 DEGREES IN MID-FLIGHT.  JUST UNBELIEVABLE TO WATCH.  I WANT THESE GUYS ON OUR SIDE.  ITS BEEN SAID THAT IN A COMBAT SITUATION, THERE ARE ONLY TWO KINDS OF PLANES IN THE AIR SPACE, F-22 RAPTORS AND THEIR TARGETS.

5. ALL BOMBS AND MISSILES ARE HIDDEN IN QUICK OPENING AND CLOSING COMPARTMENTS.  EIGHT MISSILES, TWO ONE THOUSAND POUND SATELLITE GUIDED BOMBS, AND A 20MM CANON THAT SHOOTS 6,000 ROUNDS PER MINUTE.  NOT TO BE MESSED WITH

6. ALL FIVE OF THE P-38s

7. P-38 NOSE ART

8. THE TWO WW II ACES WITH THE GREATEST NUMBER OF KILLS, MAJOR RICHARD BONG AND MIKE MCQUIRE BOTH FLEW LIGHTNINGS.  THESE GUNS MAY EXPLAIN WHY THEY GOT AROUND 40 KILLS EACH

9. P-38 NOSE WHEEL.  LOOK AT ALL THE ZERK FITTINGS FOR GREASE

10. HONEY BUNNY

11. DUCTING TO THE TURBO CHARGER AND RADIATORS FOR THE ALLISON V-12 WITH AROUND 1400 HORSEPOWER

12. SIGN ON THE SIDE OF THIS PLANES COCKPIT SAYS, "MAXIMUM CREW WEIGHT 200 LBS.

13. ALLISON V-12 IN A BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED MUSTANG

14. I WONDER HOW MUCH THE ALUMINUM POLISH COSTS

15. THE NEW F-35 LIGHTNING WASN'T THERE BUT THIS DANISH SUPPORT F-16 WAS.  F-35 IS THE NEW JOINT FORCES STRIKE FIGHTER

16. B-25 MITCHELL BOMBER

17. ENGINE ON THAT B-25

18. DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR

19. TYPICAL F-15 STRIKE EAGLE PILOT.  YES, SHE REALLY IS THE PILOT!

20. SQUADRON INSIGNIA FOR HER F-15

21. BUSINESS END OF HER TWIN F-15 ENGINES.  F-15s HAVE NEVER BEEN BEATEN IN ACTUAL COMBAT.  NEVER.

22. GENUINE WW II WILLYS JEEP LIKE MY GRANDFATHER HELPED BUILD AT THE WILLYS OVERLAND PLANT IN TOLEDO

23. ROBOSAURUS.  BIG ENOUGH TO PICK UP, CRUSH AND DESTROY CARS. FOOTHILLS OF THE SIERRA IN THE HAZY BACKGROUND

24. JET DEMONSTRATION TEAM THAT USES CZECH BUILT ALBATROSS SOVIET JET TRAINERS.  I'VE WONDERED IF IT MUST BE LET DOWN FOR THOSE FLIERS WHO HAD FLOWN WITH THE BLUE ANGELS OR THUNDERBIRDS AFTER THEY LEAVE.  ALL FOUR OF THESE PILOTS HAVE A LEAST TWO YEARS WITH EITHER THE T-BIRDS OR BLUE ANGELS.  THE LEAD PILOT HAD FLOWN F-16s, A-10 WARTHOG TANKBUSTERS, AND THE F-17 STEALTH FIGHTER, AS WELL AS HAVING THREE YEARS WITH THE THUNDERBIRDS.  NOT AS FAST OR AS LOUD AS THE THUNDERBIRDS OR BLUE ANGELS BUT EVERY BIT AS PRECISE.THIS IS A PRIVATE TEAM, PRIVATELY FUNDED.

25. HERITAGE FLIGHT WITH TWO LOCKHEED LIGHTNINGS AND THE F-22 RAPTOR.