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Chester County Press

Air show a hit on the ground and in the air

08/20/2019 03:11PM ● By Richard Gaw

By Richard L. Gaw

Staff Writer

For those who place the annual Festival of Flight and Car Show at the New Garden Flying Field on their yearly calendar, the events of this past weekend's festival brought back all of the familiar the sounds and sights of what has become a local tradition.

Fortified by a pancake breakfast at EAA Chapter 240, visitors strolled down the hill to mix and mingle with pilots, parachuters and antique car owners, as part of a whirlwind schedule of demonstrations and performances on Aug. 17 and 18. On the western end of the flying field, a fleet of military aircraft shone in the weekend sun while attendees peeked under the hoods of two dozen classic vehicles that were on display near the festival entrance. Those who needed to take a break from the visual and historical showcase were treated to performances by America's Sweethearts, who performed hit tunes from the 1930s and 1940s; and private flights above Toughkenamon, Landenberg and Avondale.

As a special treat to military veterans, members of the Commemorative Air Force of Delaware Valley used an original Addressograph to create dog tags.

The sky above the flying field was also ablaze with activity, with performances by aerobatic pilots Kevin Russo and Scott Francis, the Skydive Cross Keys Parachute team, and demonstrations of the Blackhawk helicopter, the U.S. Coast Guard rescue formation, as well as several military jet flyovers.

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