AIRPORT SHOW WILL FEATURE COMBAT VETS.

Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer

More than a dozen World War II-era flying aces will be on hand at the Camarillo Air Show and Expo this weekend, telling their stories and signing autographs - in addition to flybys, displays of military planes and the daredevil tricks of professional air acrobats.

The stories told by local World War II flying aces, men who flew more than 1,000 combat hours, might differ slightly in time and place, but they all have a common theme - a love of flying.

They speak admiringly about the planes that got them through enemy territory time after time, of the friends who weren't so lucky and of the lessons learned at the controls of their aircraft.

``If a child from school wants to get a real good history lesson, they can get it from someone who was there, right on the scene,'' said Pat Brown, a spokeswoman for the Confederate Air Force. ``We need to take advantage of that while we have the opportunity.''

The air show, sponsored by the Confederate Air Force, the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce, attracts thousands of people annually.

Visitors will be able to take scenic tours of Ventura County and Channel Islands, view exhibits of vintage aircraft being restored by the CAF and learn how to assemble model kits and real planes.

While the majority of the veterans expected to attend the show fought with the United States, at least one wore other colors during his time in the war.

George Muennich of Thousand Oaks was a German Luftwaffe pilot who flew supply planes to troops in Russia, Poland, Hungary, France and Germany.

Wayne Downing, also a Thousand Oaks resident, said he decided to attend to give his plane, the A-20 Havoc, the attention it didn't get during the war.

``It's part of this country's history,'' he said. ``Most of the other planes have their stories in books and magazines and so forth. I want to tell of the part it played in the history of World War II.''

Leonard Zerlin, another Thousand Oaks resident, said that while some war veterans are loath to talk about their experiences, others, like him, ``never stop talking about it.''

He said and others who speak at civic groups and schools enjoy meeting people who are interested in the war. They are especially pleased to meet other aviation buffs at shows like Camarillo's.

``We have all kinds of people that surround the table, asking questions, even taking pictures with us or having us sign something as if we're really heroes,'' he said. ``It's kind of embarrassing. But when you have young people come by and say thank you, it feels really good.''

The gates to Camarillo Airport, 501 Durly Ave., will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $5 general, $2 for students and seniors, and free for children under 5.