MTM: Wings and Wheels for Memorial Day

Corsairs over Connecticut! About 20% of the still-flying F4U machines that exist (5 out of 25 known) were on-hand yesterday to take off from Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Bridgeport, just across the street from the now-vacant factories that used to produce 6 of these planes per shift during WWII.

At Wings and Wheels 2010, transports of various modes and wartime eras are on display, with additional collector's cars tucked around them all over the tarmac. It's well worth the trip if you're the least bit gear-headed, and admittance benefits The Discovery Museum and Planetarium. Honestly, I have never seen such a variety of cool Things That Go in one place! I took over 100 photos (click any here to enlarge), so you will appreciate how ruthlessly I've edited my enthusiasm.

The big white bird with red trim is a Douglas C54-R5D is named the Spirit of Freedom, and was used for the Berlin Airlift. There were all kinds of sports, muscle cars and Caddy I especially liked. This Chinook, as well as even huger transports, was wide open for exploring.

More goodies stored in the hangar for tomorrow. My idea of heaven includes candy-colored convertibles and fried dough. Slushie stand not pictured, but also awesome.This yummy little Global Swift dates from the 1940's.

Panchito is a B-25J Mitchell bomber that actually flies, as you can see. Panchito has gun turrets front and back, and barrels sticking out of everywhere they could fit one. Stationed in the Central Pacific, she was scheduled for another bombing run to Japan on the day of the Japanese surrender. She arrived to the event under the auspices of the Flight Team from Disabled American Veterans, who tour as a way to educate people about the contribution of veterans in wartime and about how we can help once they come home.

Many cars on display were older than the planes, dating from the WWI era as did the costumes of their proud owners. (Note the Gatsby-looking gent, breaking character with his fancy camera rig to capture the rest of the amazing machines.) There were also vehicles of distinctly modern vintage.

Behind the swank auto is one of the flying Corsairs. On the flatbed was another in the very early process of restoration.

Because many of the WWII flyers who'd collected and maintained these Corsairs are passing away, the younger pilots who've taken over their stewardship may not be qualified for tricky formation flying which requires not only seasoned instructors but lots of practice with enough planes. That's why it was such a rare pleasure to see 4 of these flying in formation on their 70th anniversary as Connecticut's state aircraft.

That led to discussion of the important part played around the country in manufacturing locales like this one, where home-front workers toiled non-stop for war effort production. As spectators learned all about them, the F4U Corsairs circled, buzzed the strip, and reformed. They finished their aerial displays with a minute of silence during the "missing man" formation, while the second spot in the line was vacated, holding a place for the pilots who had, as they say, "gone west."

By last evening, I was at a baseball game eating hot dogs, and tomorrow I'll go river tubing. But today, I'll go to my town's tiny war cemetery and local parade in gratitude for those wonderful veterans now gone west and to honor those in service to us today. Have a great weekend!