Moody Air Fest 2007 Moody AFB October 20-21, 2007

Story and Photography by Terry Wood, Jr.

  Moody AFB Air Fest 07 was held on Oct. 20 and 21 in Valdosta Ga.  The weather Saturday was picture perfect.  Not a cloud in the sky and temperatures in the upper 70’s.  The show layout was nice with parking right on the field. No bussing here and security was not too bad either.   Moody puts on this show every two years and it could not have come any sooner than this weekend for me.  Georgia had only a handful of shows this year and it was nice to see one in my own back yard. 

  The static display were made up of the latest military flying hardware.  Pacific Prowler a B-25 was also on static, which is always nice to see her shiny polished metal finish that you can comb your hair in the reflection. 

  The show’s line up was filled with some of the legendary performers and most wanted acts including the headliner, the USAF Thunderbirds.  Other military performances were from the Combat Search and Rescue Team based out of Moody.  This included A-10s, C-130, HH-60 choppers and many enlisted men showing us what all it takes to rescue people in distress. 

1
2
3
4

  The civilian acts were also a who’s-who of great performers including Dan Buchanan’s hang glider demo, and Rob Holland in his MX-2 tearing up the sky. Matt Younkin in his father’s Super Decathlon and Kyle Franklin’s comedy show with his Cub painted like his late dad’s Waco also entertained.  Matt and Kyle did the motorcycle-to-plane transfer as well.  The AeroShell Team in their four-ship T-6s did an outstanding job as usual.  Each one of their planes must use at least a 55 gallon drum of smoke oil because there were many times you could not see the planes in the sky from all the smoke that they put out.  Shockwave the three-jet engine semi-truck was also there doing 300 mph plus runs that brought everyone to their feet and made kids cover their ears.

 

  The three-ship F-104 Starfighter team was supposed to be there on Saturday but did not make the show until Sunday so Moody still got a treat with their rare visit after all.

 

  Dale “Snort” Snodgrass did a nice demo in a P-51 called Excalibur making super low passes which we have become accustom to seeing him do.  Normally I see Dale flying his F-86, so seeing him in the P-51 was a nice change for me.

 

Thanks Team Moody for a great airshow and I eagerly await the next show you have.