Editor's Note: The Valiant Air Command is an organization dedicated to the preservation and proper display of distinguished warbirds. They have a great museum and restoration facility on their base at the Titusville, Florida airport, just across A1A from the Kennedy Space Center. Once a year at least, they throw a huge airshow, inviting aircraft from other museums or collections to attend and show their stuff, too. When I heard that my old friend, retired ABC newscaster, Bill Larson of Cocoa Beach, Florida, was going to attend, I put on the pressure for an article and some pictures. Bill came through big time--even though he nearly drowned in one of those Florida thunderstorms the Chamber of Commerce tries not to mention. But, let's let Bill tell it:
Bill Larson: When angry clouds are on the near horizon you know it will not be a CAVU day. I should have stayed home. However, when a sweet talker like Jim Slade tells you how much he would appreciate some pictures and prose in return for a great byline...well...who could ever resist? That was mistake number two.
Sincerely believing that the Rain Gods would favor me, I hopped into my four wheel rust bucket and headed for the air show. Mistake number three. The rain Gods have a great sense of humor...from their perspective.
At first, there was just a brief shower, and the day was showing promise; my step was brisk and my head was high as I charged toward the flightline. I have to hand it to the organizers; the parking was quick and efficient, leaving a very short trek to the displays, and I tried to get to as many as I could before the next deluge.
First stop was the Antonov bi-plane because it was right in front of me; I always have been a sucker for two wings.
The Antonov was brought over from the middle of the state where it resides at Fantasy of Flight...a great place to wander through replicas of flight quarters from earlier wars...some really fine re-creations. And some great airplanes.
Back to TICO. There was the usual multitude of T-6s, T-28s and T-34s on the flight line along with numerous jets of wars and years past. There was the constant sound of music from WWII blaring over the speakers and the men and women of the Valiant Air Command dressed in everything from fatigues to full dress Army Air Force Uniforms. You'll notice I did not say USAF uniforms. Maybe I just missed those.
Gotta hand it to the VAC folks, though. They had a number of their own "historians" who could tell you virtually everything you wanted to know about the history of each and every aircraft. There were far too many static displays to mention...but the pictures tell their own stories: Like the awesome F-15 that looks like it is just begging for a fight. Remember Jimmy Doolittle and his B-25 Raid on Tokyo in '42?
A beautifully restored B-25 came to pay its respects to the VAC. How about the multi-engine Army Caribou that saw so much service in Nam? And the Hueys...the choppers. They were at Tico with the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation "Sky Soldiers" putting on a demonstration of how they battled the Viet Cong. The other familiar names were also there...Spitfire, P-51, Grumman Wildcat and more.
I suspect a large part of the airshow never got off the ground. The rains moved in, in full force, about noon or shortly thereafter on Saturday, sending everyone headlong into hangars, tents and their own cars. Using all the navigational skills I learned in flight school, I headed directly to my car. My Instructor must have left something out of my lessons. My car was not where I parked it. I am writing on this Sunday night in a puddle in the middle of TICO airport. Not really. I found my car after about 30 minutes of wandering...and departed.
But the Valiant Air Command puts on one helluva party. Were it not for the weather, you could not have dragged me away. They are a great bunch of people dedicated to preserving the heritage of the skies that the U.S. military have so proudly handed down to us.
Just wait till next year!
