By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

The New Garden Flying Field's annual Festival of Flight had originally been scheduled for Aug. 18 and 19, and although the skies let loose a torrential and steady downpour last Sunday, they graciously opened up the day before, for a full day of acrobatics and demonstration.

From one end of the flying field to the other, on tarmacs, in hangars and in fields, the festival attracted more than 1,000 visitors, who enjoyed skydivers, parachuters, flight patterns and row after row of aircraft, from the classic to the high-tech.

The air show kicked off at noon, with a performance by Skydive Cross Keys flag and parachute jump exhibition, followed by a demonstration by the members of the New Garden Flight School. The day also included air stunts by Kevin Russo Aerobatics, Jerry Wells Bucker Jungmeister Aerobatics and Scott Francis Aerobatics; demonstrations by the U.S. Coast Guard's Dauphin Search and Rescue; Mark Meredith's Super Chipmunk; the U.S. Navy's T-45C's Goshawk; and a flight chase between a P-51 Mustang and a FG-1D Corsair.

Visitors also got to admire a 75-vehicle fleet of antique cars from local collectors, as well as ground displays of vintage military aircraft and home-built aircraft. The crowd was also treated to a performance by the America's Sweethearts trio, who performed a musical tribute to the music of the 1930s and 1940s.

To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email [email protected].