Warbirds Over Delaware Report
After making a wrong turn (actually, not making a correct one) that took us about 15 miles out of the way, we made it to Lum’s Pond for the Warbirds Over Delaware event, got parked, and took the shuttle bus to the flying field, getting there about 10 AM.
My first impression was that it was terribly cluttered, much worse than the last time we were there three years ago. The main reason, I think, is that the vendors had been moved from an open area across a little dirt road from the arm of the "L" where the pilots park and have much of the pit area to that side of the road, practically on top of the pilot area. Why, I have no idea; the open area was mostly just that, and empty.
That arrangement, though, made it almost impossible for spectators to see much of the runway or the planes on the ground, just those in the air which happened to be visible above the pilots’ and vendors’ shelters. I was pretty disappointed, but did manage to see a B-17 in flight (well, Ron had to tell me what it was, I couldn’t see it well enough to tell) and — unfortunately — a crashed P-51 on the spectator side of the pit line fence. We did run into a few people from our club, one of whom was vending quite a bit of stuff he didn’t sell at the picnic, and I saw a small electric model of a plane I’ve liked ever since I first saw one, the <a href="http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap51.htm>Cessna Skymaster</a>. The model was in civilian colors, but I’d like to have one in military garb, like the one pictured in the link.
I’d have come home with the kit, in fact, except for a problem that abruptly cut things short. We were hoping there would be a static display, as there had been at noon every time we’d been there before, so at least we could get a good look at the planes on the ground, but about 1130, there was a loud peal of thunder, the sky got dark, and within ten minutes, there was a real downpour that showed no signs of stopping. We managed to get some of the stuff we’d looked at that wouldn’t be rain-damaged, but that downpour would’ve wrecked a balsawood kit, so I’ll have to mail-order it later.
We headed out to the shuttle bus stop, about a quarter mile away, as soon as we’d made our small purchases, but we didn’t get all the way before one of the host club’s people saw the way Ron was limping, and offered us a ride all the way to the campground parking lot and directly to our car! Needless to say, we accepted immediately, and thanked him profusely.
We were still thoroughly soaked, just from the short part of the walk we’d managed, but it was really nice to get out of the rain, and especially to get the pleasant surprise of that stranger’s generosity. May the gods bless him for his thoughtfulness and willingness to do something about it!
So while the show itself was a real disappointment, the unknown Delaware R/C Club member was a ray of bright sunshine in the middle of a thunderstorm.
And we were almost halfway back to Dover before the rain let up, so I have my doubts whether the Warbirds got going again.
