AIR SHOW ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF FANS.Byline: Rachel Uranga Staff Writer Thousands of eyes peered into the summer sky as Rob Harrison piloted a 1970s-era aerobatic plane into the heavens, then tumbled toward Earth leaving a ribbon of vapor. The opening act for Camarillo's two-day air show drew oohs, aahs and furious applause from the civilian crowd. But for hundreds of U.S. military veterans on hand, the dozens of antique aircraft and warplanes brought back memories. ``Oh, it was great. You were free above the clouds, soaring with the sun and birds, you are closer to God,'' said Lowell Steward, 83, as he sat next to several veterans in a hangar filled with World War II memorabilia. Steward, a Tuskegee Airman who ran bombing campaigns in a P-51 fighter plane over Vienna and Berlin, said he was not necessarily intrigued by the idea of flying. ``I went into the Air Force to prove that black people could fly,'' he said. The nearly two hundred planes - many restored bombers from World War II to Vietnam - that dotted the Camarillo airport Camarillo Airport (ICAO: KCMA, FAA LID: CMA) is a public airport located three miles (5 km) west of the central business district of Camarillo, a city in Ventura County, California, United States. served as a reminder, he said. ``It lets people know what went on in the war. People now don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what's going on What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Released on May 21, 1971 (see 1971 in music), What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. .'' Organizers estimate between 10,000 and 20,000 people from across Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, will visit the 23rd annual air show, which ends its two-day run today at the Camarillo Airport. Many came to get close to the dozens of fighter jets on display, chat up old friends, watch the show or marvel at home-built planes. The show, themed ``Century of Aviation, Kitty Hawk Kitty Hawk or Kittyhawk, part of an offshore sandbar on Cape Hatteras, NE N.C., E of Albemarle Sound. Nearby is Kill Devil Hill, where the Wright brothers experimented successfully (1900–1903) with gliders and airplanes. to Camarillo,'' celebrated the centennial of the Wright brothers' 13-second flight on Dec. 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, N.C. The historic flight marked the first recorded powered and sustained flight. ``The smell of jet fuel is like perfume,'' said Don ``Big Heart'' Goodin, leaning up against his two-seater L-29 military trainer plane. His aviation habit, which the retired lieutenant colonel developed in the Air Force, isn't cheap, he said, but it's inescapable. ``It's in our blood - it is what we do,'' joked Goodin. Admission is $8. Children under 12 are free. The gates open at 8 a.m. and the air show runs between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Admission funds will be donated to the Young Eagles - a youth aviation program - to buy fuel for its flights. Rachel Uranga, (805) 583-7604 rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 4 photos Photo: (1 -- 2) Mercury astronaut astronaut, crew member on a U.S. manned spaceflight mission; the Soviet term is cosmonaut. Candidates for manned spaceflight are carefully screened to meet the highest physical and mental standards, and they undergo rigorous training. Col. Gordon Cooper Leroy Gordon "Gordo" Cooper, Jr. (March 6 1927 – October 4 2004) was an American astronaut. He was one of the original astronauts in Project Mercury, the first manned-space effort by the United States. Early years Cooper was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. gets a hug from Lydia Roush, above right, during his appearance at the Camarillo Air Show on Saturday. Mauricio Pena of Palmdale, above left, examines a B-25 bomber during the annual aviation exhibition, which concludes today at Camarillo Airport. (3 -- 4) Aerobatic pilot Rob Harrison puts his stunt plane through the paces during the air show. Organizers estimate from 10,000 to 20,000 visitors from across the Southland south·land or South·land n. A region in the south of a country or an area. south  land·er n.Noun 1. will attend this year's 23rd annual event. Below, the Giardini family of Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. watches one of the aerobatic demonstrations. |
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