Cable Airshow Upland, CA January 10-11, 2009

Photography and report by Mike Shreeve

 

  Traditionally the first US West Coast airshow of the season, this year's Cable Airshow took place on January 10-11.  Held at Upland's Cable Airport, in San Bernadino County to the west of Los Angeles, this is a typical small airport airshow.  Founded by Dewey and Maude Cable in 1945, the airport is still owned and operated by the Cable family today.  With over 450 aircraft based there, it bills itself as the largest privately-owned airport open to the public in the US.  The show, now in its 34th year, has a real community feel to it.  Many of the performers are based at the airport, and it also has a large classic car show as part of the day's events.

Each day’s display contained a number of aerobatic performances.  Highlight for many was the return of the Tumbling Bear - Rob Harrison's first performance since his accident at Modesto last May. Flying a replacement Zlin 50, Rob flew an abbreviated routine twice each day of the show.  Other performers comprised Doug Jardine in his Sukhoi-26 and the debut display from locally-based Martin Kennedy in his Staudacher S.600, in addition to Frank Donnelly, who gives a nice gentle smoke-on aerobatic demonstration in a clipped-wing 1946 Taylorcraft modified for inverted flight and with a central seating position, under the moniker of ‘Dr D’s Old-Time Aerobatics.  His display culminates in engine-off aerobatics followed by a deadstick landing.  Skydivers, large-scale RC models and formation passes from 8 locally-based RV homebuilts provided some variety in the airshow.

1
2
3
4
5

  A number of antique classic and warbird aircraft were also on display.  B-25 Mitchell  ‘Pacific Princess’ made the short hop over from nearby Chino for the weekend and was on static display during Saturday’s event, making some passes on departure on Sunday..  C-53D Skytrooper ‘D-Day Doll’ from the Commemorative Air Force’s Inland Empire Wing at Riverside Airport was also present, and made several flypasts on the Saturday.  Built at Douglas’ Santa Monica plant, the C-53 was a troop transport variant of the C-47, fitted with seats for 28 troops and was also used as a glider tug during WWII.  The main external difference from the C-47 was the lack of the large cargo door on the port side of the fuselage.  This particular example was acquired by the Wing in 2003, and was restored and repainted into a D-Day scheme over the following 3 years.  The CAF also provided an immaculate Ryan PT-22 Recruit (the sound of its 5-cylinder Kinner engine unmistakable as it flew past) and a North American SNJ-5, the US Navy variant of the ubiquitous Harvard/ Texan trainer.

 

  Rose Parrakeet NC14881 was originally constructed in 1936.  After falling into disrepair in the years following WWII, and being removed from the register in 1952, it was acquired in 1965 as a project by the late Doug Rhinehart, who rebuilt it using substantial airframe parts from a later Parrakeet and used it as an aerobatic airshow aircraft, now powered by a Continental C-85.  Now owned by his son Dan, it was rebuilt at Cable, being completed in 2005, and is now a pristine condition of this classic 1930s sport biplane design.
6
7
8
9
10

  Other antiques and classics at the show, most of which made flypasts after the main performers had displayed,  included a selection of Ercoupes, 1948 Cessna 140 N3684V, Stearman PT-17, plus several which were a long way from home!  These included Tiger Moth N523R (marked as G-ANEI), Mark Awad’s CAC Winjeel A85-429 (now registered as N107PJ) and Fokker S-11 Instructor E-11 (N911J).  P-51 Mustang ‘Su Su’ made several flypasts on the Saturday, but stayed on the ground for Sunday’s display.  A nice US Marines marked SNJ also made some flypasts.  1946 Aeronaut 11AC Chief NC9770E looked somewhat out of place in the LA area on large-diameter bush tyres, but made for an unusual sight in the static line.

 

  Rides were being given in a 1940 Waco UPF-7, which was busy for most of the day outside the airshow times.  Beside the rows of hangars was a dismantled F-89 Scorpion, which has been offered for sale recently on the internet.  Hopefully this now quite rare 1950s interceptor will find a good home with a museum and will be restored at some point in the future.
11
12
13
14
15