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The North American P-51 Mustang
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Watsonville 2005
Home Warbirds 1
P-51 Mustang at Watsonville 2005
Watsonville Fly-In and Airshow
story and photography by Curtis Fowles

Wow, the 41st Annual Watsonville Fly-In. I've been there many times starting from the late 60's. My dad flew us there in our cub, and in a C-140 (C for Cessna). The flour bombing and spot landing go way back. There is always a super group of antiques and home-builts in attendance. Watsonville weather this time of year always makes it interesting.

I've been there when it was cold and windy, wishing I brought a big coat in, and sunny and 90's, wishing I had wore shorts. One thing for sure, you are often wishing you wore something else. So this year, I brought everything and if needed, I'll change in the truck.

But the weather was nice with temps in the 70's. Saturday was cooler with lingering clouds. One year I remember it beeing socked in until 11am or so and then everyone with wings decending on the airport to get in before it closed for the show. It was quite entertaining to listen to atc bring everyone in and get them off the runway. There were four aircraft landing on the same runway at the same time. You did'nt talk to atc, they talked to you and you listened.

The show was entertaining with the only gliche being the monster truck that broke on the first run over the cars. Notice in the pics he has a broken left rear lower torsion bar. They fixed the torsion bar, but on Sunday, he did not go over the cars (in fact the smashed cars were gone). He went out between the show line and the inner taxiway and taunted the tank for a bit then dusted us out with a heavy foot right next to the show line. (Does not go over well after you spent 2 hours the night before cleaning all your photo gear) Oh well, at least it sounded good.

Check out the flying RC lawnmower! Yes, I said lawnmower. The RC's are small but fast and very hard to shoot decent pics for way back at the show line. Chris Luvara was flying the fastest one out there and doing some nice manuevers. Chris takes a lot of pics at the shows and heads up the website Stick and Rudder Photo, check it out.