P-47's At The Airport

Last summer I saw an article in the local newspaper about a couple WWII P-47 fighters stopping at the local airport on the way to a Michigan airshow. At the time I made a mental note to be there if I wasn't working. When the "big day" arrived, I wasn't working, but I had the feeling that I was forgetting something or was supposed to be somewhere. When I heard those WWII aircraft engines I knew why I had that feeling. Even though the airport is only a mile away, I feared I was going to miss some photo opportunities. I wanted to be as close as I could to the runway for the landings. Fortunately they made several passes over the airport and the city before landing. I wasn't able to get to the runway in time for the landings, but was able to several shots of them on the taxi way.

A third P-47 on the way to the same airshow heard about the Bryan stop and decided to join the other two.

Several of the local nursing homes brought their WWII veterans to the airport. It was neat to hear them talking about their war experiences with the P-47pilots. Some were mechanics, some were pilots. An estimated 500 people greeted the planes..



On the runway coming toward the taxiway.











Some of the veterans with the P-47 pilots