HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1994-06-22, Page 13Frenchman's Inn
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Second Section - June 22, 1994
Sta.mq Suulh Huron
Ho lh M•thI est . & Hato 1 ,inhton
Score la'.1
Exeter group plays host to aviators
Vintage airplanes come to Huron Park for the annual social event
Story and photos
by Fred Groves
T -A staff
HURON PARK - One by one
they arrived through the haze.
You could hear their ancient en-
gines and you could watch as the
smiling pilots dismounted their his-
toric treasures.
Friday afternoon the Exeter and
Arca Recreational Aircraft Associa-
tion hosted their colleagues from
the Canadian Warplane Heritage
Air Show which was held in Ham-
ilton on the weekend.
For the sixth time (rain washed
the event out two years ago), the
Exeter group has been hosting a
luncheon for the pilots in a social
get together just before the big
show.
Landing at the Huron Park air-
strip, were the mighty B-25 Mitch-
ell bomber, the P-51 Mustang and
the Harvard all which were at the
recent Grand Bend Air Show.
But there was a Cessna Crane,
Chipmunk, the T-28 navy trainer
and the A-26 which was the Amer-
ican equivalent of the Harvard.
"It's quite an honor to have these
airplanes here, they are ir-
replaceable," said Wayne Steeper
of the Exeter club. He had a very
important task Friday of mar-
shalling the planes and he is
dubbed, by his club, the Warbird
Myster.
"They fly out here for a relaxing
day. Our club is the host for a so-
cial day," said Steeper.
He explained that 'he pilots and
their vintage planes c 'me to Huron
Park not to put on an air show but
to mingle with other aviation huffs
and it also gives them a chance to
practice for their big show.
Although it was not an air show
on Friday, pilots and crews wcte
willing to fly in formation and blow'
a little color smoke to announce
their presence.
Dave Frayne is the president of
the Exeter club and said the pilots
have been coming to the event for
six years and they enjoy getting out
to test their planes before the show.
"They like our area, it's all paved
we take care of the planes. This is a
non -aviation event," said Frayne.
One of the pilots who is no
stranger to Huron Park is Gary
McCann of Stratford who flew his
P-51 Mustang.
"I've been here as long as they've
had it. It's an excuse for people
with planes to get together," said
McCann who bought his plane 22
years ago.
Friday's heat bothered not only
the pilots and spectators but
McCann said it wasn't ideal flying
weather.
"It hampers it's performance, it
takes more runway," he said of the
1,50) horsepower V-12 super-
charged Mustang which was used
in World War II by the Americans.
As one crew member coming
from the Mitchell bomber said, "it
wasn't this warm in Texas."
Flying in air shows can be dan-
gerous as stunt pilot Ray Mayberry
was killed doing a manouever re-
cently at a big show in Detroit.
"We try and put it out of our
minds. He was a good friend of
ours."
The Exeter club (Chapter 4987 of
the.R-d) is ver busy this time of
the year.
"There's lots of projects on the go
in the club. We have .35-40 active
members. 12 with projects on the
go."
Viewing some of the planes.
•
A volunteer shows a plane where to park.
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Wayne Steeper flags in a navy trainer.
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