Story by Scott Rose - Photography by Timothy Cox

Geneseo, NY - Arrival day did not bode well for a successful weekend at Geneseo this year. Dark and violent storm clouds filled the skies above and were home to viscious bolts of lightning that were thankfully some distance away. The roads and accessways soon

turning to a gooey pudding like consistancy that proved to be the bane of several station wagons and sedans. Even more telling was the absence of many of the heavy warbirds everyone was expecting. However, the dismal conditions and lack of aircraft did not prove daunting to the HAG volunteers. This group of helpful and generous individuals are the foundation from which this airshow has grown to be one of the most enjoyable airshows

around. The volunteers kept everyone and everything running smoothly and when a blue patch appeared in the sky and a B-17 appeared on the horizon you knew everything was going to be ok. Numerous warbirds then proceeded to arrive and fill in the flight line. Not as many as you would hope for, but enough. Before long the sun started to descend behind the trees and the beautiful sunset was followed by a slowly developing fog that enveloped the field and brought arrival day to a close.

Saturday did not appear to hold much promise as the storm clouds and rain had returned though to a much lesser extent than Friday. The HAG volunteers remained undaunted and their persistance paid off as the clouds dissapated and the sunshine broke through, followed closely by warbirds of all shapes and sizes. Soon the flight line filled up with the heavy metal everyone had

come out to see. The arrivals ended and the displays began and once again Geneseo proved that it was a perfect venue for warbirds. Between the grass runway and the treeline on the far side you find it easy to loose yourself in the roar of radial engines and find yourself transported back to WWII. All of the aircrews put on spirited displays that enthralled the spectators and sent untold numbers of veterans deep within there memories. A standout performance was by Dan McCue in the Collings Foundation F4U-5NL Corsair. Dan wore the Corsair as much as flew it and manuevered the immaculate aircraft through the skies with a grace normally reserved for birds of prey. The day ended with an amazing steak dinner put on by the HAG crew and offered an opportunity for everyone to swap stories and socialize.

Sunday started off gloriously sunny and only got better during the course of the day. The numbers of people attending the show reflected this dramatically. Several more warbirds showed up and a beautiful blue sky the aerial displays started early and continued through out the day including and apparent maximum effort that put up nearly all the bombers and fighters at the same time. The thunder that was absent on Friday

made itself known as aircraft after aircraft rumbled down the runway and clawed its way into the sky. You almost expected to see a wave of enemy fighters on the horizon on their way to strike the field. The shear numbers of aircraft in the air was impressive. The crowds obviously enjoyed this display of power and stood enthralled for quite awhile. The day continued on without a hitch and proved to be extremely entertaining for all the spectators. Eventualy all good things must come to an end and the line of general aviation aircraft awaiting for take-off signalled the end of the show.

    Once again the 1941 Historic Aircraft Group has pulled off a brilliant show that without a doubt shows that enthusiasts are behind the planning. This show might not be the biggest but is by far one of the best airshows going. Year after year it grows better and better and I cannot help but recommend it heartily to anyone interested in warbirds. Hopefully I will see you there next year.