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Aerobatics, jets and bombers fill the skies

Contributed by: Z.J Czupor on 6/4/2008

Patty Wagstaff, national aerobatics champion, headlines day of aerobatics, Air Force and Navy jets, WWII Bombers, flybys, and more at
Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport's Free Open House

Open House salutes armed forces, past and present

Broomfield, Colo., June 4, 2008 - Three time U.S. National Aerobatics Champion Patty Wagstaff headlines a day of aviation entertainment (in the sky and on the ground) at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport to celebrate its annual open house on June 7.

The Open House is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and free to the public. The airport expects more than 100 aircraft on display and 20,000 people in attendance. Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport is located at the southwest corner of Highway 128 and Wadsworth Blvd. (one block south of Highway 36). Parking is free.

Wagstaff is the only woman to win the national aerobatics title and is a six-time member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team. She will perform aerobatics in her high-performance Extra 300S airplane. The 350-horsepower, propeller-driven plane was built in Dinslaken, Germany by Walter Extra. She has won numerous aviation awards and her Goodrich Extra 260 airplane is on display at the Smithsonian's National Air & Space Museum, in Washington, D.C., where it hangs next to Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega. This is her first time performing in the Denver metro area.

She joins loud, heart-pounding and fast demonstrations from Air Force and Navy fighter jets, the Coast Guard C-130 Hercules, WWII bombers, and assorted flybys. The Open House also includes educational and entertaining ground displays of military aircraft, Warbirds, corporate jets, US military exhibits, war heroes and more. The Jeffco Airport Association (JAA) will host its annual "fly in" which includes an estimated 80 airplanes.

Below is the Open House schedule and details about the performers:

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE:
Static displays (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
Ø "The Martha Jean" WWII B-25 Bomber
Ø "Sentimental Journey" WWII B-17 Bomber
Ø F-16 fighter jet from Buckley Air National Guard
Ø MiG-17 (Korean War and Vietnam War fighter)
Ø P-51 Mustang (WWII and Korean War fighter)
Ø C-21 Learjet 35 from Colorado Air National Guard, Peterson AFB
Ø Warbirds (historical military aircraft)
Ø Corporate Jets
Ø General aviation aircraft

Aerial Demonstrations (10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
Ø Col. Jack Wilhite and his MiG-17
Ø Dr. Mike Bertz and his P-51 Mustang
Ø Mark Johnson and his Venom jet
Ø Roy Halladay and his T-33
Ø Fly-bys: B-25, P-51
Ø At 11:30a.m., ceremonies end when a parachute jumper lands with the singing of the National Anthem and recognition of local war heroes

Aerial Demonstrations (1 p.m. - 3 p.m.)
Ø Patty Wagstaff and her Extra 300S
Ø USAF F-16 West Coast Demo Team &
Heritage Flight (fly-by of old and new)
Ø USN F-18 Super Hornet
Ø US Coast Guard C-130 Demo
Ø Air Force Academy Glider performance
Ø Fly-bys: B-17, B-25, P-51 Mustang

Exhibitors (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) Up to 55 exhibitors from local war heroes, branches of the military, and activities for the entire family, including:
Ø Colorado Aviation Historical Society
Ø Spirit of Flight Center
Ø Tuskegee Airmen (America's first black airmen of WWII)
Ø The Air Force Academy Falcon

Please note: Aerial demonstrations are subject to change

PERFORMERS' DETAILS:

The USAF F-16 West Coast Demonstration Team
The 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah is home to the Viper West Coast Demonstration Team, one of two single ship F-16 aerial demonstration teams in Air Combat Command. The F-16 Fighting Falcon, more commonly known to military pilots as the "Viper," is a compact, extremely maneuverable multi-role fighter aircraft. The F-16's General Electric engine generates 28,000 pounds of thrust, the one engine produces more horsepower than the entire starting lineup of the Indianapolis 500. The jet's top speed exceeds Mach 2, twice the speed of sound. When an aircraft exceeds Mach 1, it is said to "break the sound barrier."

The USN F-18 Super Hornet
This Boeing multi-mission aircraft can be deployed as a bomber, tanker or fighter jet. It's stationed with the VFA-122 "Flying Eagles" training squadron at Naval Air Station, Lemoore, California. The F-18 Super Hornet is the Navy's newest and most advanced tactical fighter jet. This $57 million plane has two General Electric turbo-fan engines with 20,000 pounds of thrust and flies in excess of Mach 1.8.

Col. Jack Wilhite and his MiG-17
Colonel Jack Wilhite (USAF Ret.), Morrison, CO., is a retired United Airlines Captain with 32 years experience. He flew jet fighters with the U.S. Air Force, and Colorado Air National Guard for 32 years including the Korean War, in Europe and Africa. Jack compiled 277 combat missions in Vietnam. He owns and flies a Steen Skybolt aerobatic biplane at air shows and aerobatic competitions. Colonel Wilhite was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Historical Society Hall of Fame in 2004.

The MiG-17 is an improved version of the famous MiG-15 of the Korean War which engaged in many aerial battles with the North American F-86 Sabre. It is a light, highly maneuverable fighter designed strictly for dogfighting and is capable of supersonic flight in a dive. The MiG-17 was a very agile opponent and scored many victories over aircraft during the Vietnam conflict. This particular aircraft is a two seat Chinese built advanced fighter trainer. It was built in Chengdu from 1966 to 1986 and is still in operation in several air forces across the globe. This aircraft is based at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport and is painted in the colors of the Russian Air Force "Red Falcons" MiG-17 Jet Demonstration Team. It is one of only two in the U.S.

Mark Johnson and his Venom jet
Based at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, Mark Johnson has owned this airplane since 1984. This is the only Venom that actively flies and has been active for more than 20 years. It came out of the Swiss Air Force and only 150 were built. The airplane was used by almost every country in the world except the United States. It flew in the Korean Conflict and the Suez Canal Conflict.

The B-25 "Martha Jean"
The WWII bomber "Martha Jean" is owned and flown by David Wheaton of Tulsa, OK, who has made numerous appearances at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. The "Martha Jean", a "J" model B-25, was ordered in 1944 but was not delivered to the Army Air Corps until 1945 from the Kansas City plant where she was manufactured. By that time, no more aircraft were required overseas, so it was refitted as a multi-engine trainer and was used through December 1958 at Goodfellow AFB, Texas. The B-25 first gained fame in April 18, 1942. Sixteen B-25Bs flew off the carrier USS Hornet led by the legendary Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle and his Raiders. They successfully bombed Tokyo and three other Japanese cities in retaliation for the attack on Pearl Harbor. The B-25 was declared surplus to the government in 1959 and has been in the hands of several private owners since that time.

The B-17 "Sentimental Journey"
The WWII bomber "Sentimental Journey" is one of a handful of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses still flying in the world. It is maintained and operated as a flying museum by the Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing Aviation Museum based in Mesa, AZ. It has been restored to its 1944 configuration. It flew in the Pacific Theater in WWII and was later commissioned for air-sea rescue and fire fighting. Its nose art is of actress Betty Grable, the most famous poster pinup of WWII.

Mike Bertz and his P-51 Mustang
Dr. Mike Bertz owns and flies his P-51 "Stang Evil" Mustang out of Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport. This single-seat fighter was built by North American Aviation. It fought in raids over Germany and Japan in WWII, and saw early action in the Korean War. The Mustang was a fast, well-made and highly durable aircraft powered by the 12-cylinder Packard engine. It was armed with six .50 caliber machine guns. The Mustang's reputation was such that, in the mid-1960s, Ford Motor Company's Designer John Najjar proposed the name for a new youth-oriented coupe after the fighter.

Roy Halladay and his Lockheed T-33
Roy Halladay has been a corporate pilot in the Denver area for the past 31 years. His turbojet was assembled from spare parts obtained from junkyards and salvage. The engine is an Allison J-33, which was overhauled using surplus parts. Each airframe part was overhauled and rebuilt. All new electrical systems and all new hydraulic systems were installed. The restoration took nine years. Halladay's son, Roy Halladay, Jr., 2003 Cy Young winner with the Toronto Blue Jays, also helped in the restoration.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
Normal airport operations will be in effect during the Open House so the public will also experience usual take-offs and landings in addition to scheduled fly-by demonstrations.

Admission to the Open House is free. There is plenty of free parking onsite as well as food and beverage concessions and other amenities. Visitors are advised to bring sunscreen, sunglasses and hats, since there is limited shade. Not allowed: Pets, coolers, cans, glass bottles and alcohol.

For more information about the Open House, please call 303-271-4850 or visit: www.flyrmma.com.

# # #

ABOUT ROCKY MOUNTAIN METROPOLITAN AIRPORT
Jefferson County's Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport was established in 1960 and has been self-supporting for more than 30 years. It is located near the intersection of U.S. 36 and Wadsworth Blvd and is Colorado's fourth busiest airport. The airport is home to a variety of businesses including flight schools, avionics, repair and maintenance shops, charter services, FBOs and restaurants. Additionally, the terminal building is home to the Pilatus Business Aircraft U.S. headquarters, the Airport Administrative offices, as well as the FAA and U.S. Customs offices. The airport handles 180,000 landings and takeoffs annually and has 400 aircraft based at the airport. Last year, the airport contributed more than $300 million to the regional economy.



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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Z.J Czupor

Denver , CO

Z.J Czupor has posted 105 stories and 0 comments since joining on 6/26/2007. Z.J Czupor 's average story rating is 5.
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