Olympic Air Show   Olympic Museum of Flight   June 14-15, 2008

Story by John Smutny  

  The 10^th annual Olympic Air Show at Olympia, Washington kicked off under gray skies and low ceilings but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the hearty Northwest crowd. 

  This annual event allows the Olympic Flight Museum (OFM) to showcase their great collection.  The aerial displays included the L-39 Albatross, P-51D Mustang “American Beauty”, the only flying Kaman HH-43 Huskie, Bell UH-1 Huey and AH-1 Cobra as well as a dogfight between their Grumman Avenger and “Hollywood” Zero.  The rest of OFM’s growing collection was on static display in front of the museum. 

  2008 Bill Barber Award for Showmanship winner, Bud Granley, was really the man of the weekend flying displays in his Yak-55 and Fouga Magister as well as OFM’s Mustang and Zero. Each time Bud was behind the stick, it was clear to see why he won the prestigious award. 

  Other civilian acts included the high energy show of Renny Price in his stunning white and purple Sukhoi SU-29 and Bill Sheppard flying graceful aerobatics in his Yak-11.  Making his second appearance at this show, Greg Howard amazed the crowd with the vertical penetration and roll rate of the Giles G-200.  The one comedy act was an “illegally parked car” dropped at show center by a Huey of Northwest Helicopters. 

  Three branches of the military were well represented.  The Army opened the air show with the Northwest Special Operations Parachute Demonstration Team, whose Green Beret members trace their history back to the 1^st Special Service Force (Devil’s Brigade) of WWII.  A CH-47 Chinook from the 159^th Aviation Regiment was on static display along with a Stryker armored vehicle. 

  The Navy provided a rock and roll aerial display with an F/A-18 Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 125, the “Rough Riders”.  A C-17 from the 8^th Airlift Squadron and T-38 of the 560^th Flying Training Squadron “Charging Cheetahs” were the Air Force additions to the flying.  From the 36^th Rescue Flight a UH-1N and a T-6 Texan II from the 84^th Flying Training Squadron were the Air Force’s static displays. 

  The Cascade Warbirds once again closed the show with a series of flybys with trainers and L-Birds around the airport perimeter.  By the end of the day Saturday, and all day Sunday, the sun shone strong and made the first air show of the season here in the Pacific Northwest a great weekend