New Orleans Airshow, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, Belle Chase, LA   Purdue University Aviation Day, West Lafayette, IN   C-47 Parachute Drop at the Air Force Museum
   Good Neighbor Airshow, Chamblee, GA   Spirit of St. Louis Airshow, Chesterfield, MO    Dayton Airshow, Vandalia, OH   Coles County Airport Airshow, Mattoon, IL   Tri-State Warbird Museum Flying Showcase, Batavia, OH   Bowman Fest, Louisville, KY

2022 Airshows

Marion, IN Fly/In-Cruise-In 2022 Warbird Photo Review
Warbirds at Marion, IN Airport - September 3, 2022
 
The Marion Fly-In/Cruise-In has been held now for 31 consecutive years on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.  Each year the promoters feature a rare aircraft of some type which have been mostly warbirds.  This year the promoters featured the 1942 C-53 "Beach City Baby" owned by Vintage Wings, Inc. of Washington, PA.  2022 was the first year that Vintage Wings had the C-53 out on the airshow circuit after a six year restoration.

And what a restoration it is!  Six years ago, the C-53 was derelict at the Beach City, OH Airport.  Today it is the most historically accurate C-47/53 I have seen.  The volunteers at Vintage Wings have returned the "Beach City Baby" back to original its original World War Two era condition.

The interior has been divided into three sections.  One has passenger seats, the second has cots, and the third are paratroop seats. 

The tunning units for the aircraft's high frequency transmitters are on the passenger side bulkhead of the radio compartment. 

The radio compartment has the high frequency transmitter on the left and the high frequency receiver on the right.  In most C-47 restorations, only the receiver is in the radio area, if there are any radios at all.

Just forward of the radio compartment are the VHF radios. 

The navigator's area has a compass and drift meter in it. 

Mounted in the astrodome is the navigator's Astro-compass. 

The Marion Fly-In/Cruise-In main draw is a pancake breakfast which raises money for a local charity.  Among the many aircraft that flew in for the pancake breakfast was this PT-19.

The Indiana Wing of the CAF was giving rides in its PT-26.

This rare Naval Aircraft Factory N3N-3 is locally owned in Marion. 

This PT-19 came down from Coldwater, MI to be part of the event. 

Most of the morning was overcast.  Then late in the morning the skies cleared up for a while to give us some blue skies.

Bill and Debbie Finney from Muncie, IN are taxiing out to leave.  In talking with Bill at the event, he told me this was either the 25th or 26th Marion Fly-in they had been to.  I always look forward to spending some time talking with both Debbie and Bill at the event. 

Laura Stants in the AT-6 has also become a regular at the event.  Each year she gives many rides in the aircraft.

The event's announcers were announcing during the morning that the C-53 was going to be leaving at noon.  I wondered if this was actually going to be the case as all morning there were long lines to tour the aircraft.  I thought the Vintage Wings might delay their departure to do more tours.  However, at noon time they were ready to go.

Engine crank was at 12:08. 

"Beach City Baby" gave us two low passes and then headed for home.  I look forward to seeing "Beach City Baby" again in the 2023 airshow season.

Here is the link to the Vintage Wings, Inc website, which gives the complete story on the C-53 that served with the Air Transport Command in North Africa in 1942 and 1943.  After the war, it was used as a commercial airliner until in 1963 it became "Buckeye One" and was the Governor of Ohio's personal aircraft until 1983.  This is truly a historic aircraft. 

Vintage Wings, Inc.