Bethel, PA — Recently, the Golden Age Air Museum held it’s Fall “Flying Circus” Airshow and once again, it did not disappoint. Yes, we know that the Air Museum Network covered the Spring event as well but we had so much fun we just had to go back.
It’s been a full summer of high powered airshows featuring flybys of warbirds signing with the sweet music of 12-cylinder Merlins and throaty massive radials, or the roar of jet demonstration teams flying in perfect formation.
But it’s good to slow down a bit and enjoy the slow clattering of a Curtiss OX-5 or the full on/off sputtering of a Gnome throttless rotary*. (*Rotary, as in the entire engine revolves and not to be confused with the Mazda rotary engine). But while the flying might be slower it is by no means boring or any less thrilling. These planes are flown by highly skilled pilots demonstrating their flying prowess in vintage machines, some designed nearly a century ago.
One of the advantages of slower moving aircraft is that nearly every pass over the field is a “photo pass” allowing photographers and spectators alike more than a fleeting glance of the aircraft in flight. And if you listen closely you can even hear with wires in the wings sing.
The “Great Pumpkin Fly-In” on October 17 and 18 is the last show for the season for the Golden Age Air Museum so there’s still another chance to see these magnificent flying machines this year.
Every wonder what a wing walker sees? Watch the video below for an idea. Special thanks to Paul Daugherty Jr. and Mike Damiani for making this video possible.
Click on thumbnails below to view additional images.
[slickr-flickr tag=”GoldenAgeFall2015″ items=”98″ type=”gallery”]