Up...Up...and Away!

A few weeks ago Lil Nick and I along with Stephen Beatty drove over to Peru and took in the 3rd annual TBM Avenger airshow. This gathering of historic aircraft from all over the country takes place in the spring of every year and always draws out Huge crowds as well as dozens of vintage and historically significant flying machines. Out of the handful of airworthy Avengers still flying today 16 were at the air show this year as well as a squadron of T-6 trainers, a pair of P-51's, A couple Korean war era Sabre jets, a Russian Mig, a Stearman biplane and more.

The Grumman TBM Avenger was introduced in 1942 just in time for the battle of Midway Island and quickly became one of America's most popular torpedo/bombers of the war. Nearly 10,000 were built and they proved such a reliable airframe that they remained in service until the early 1960's before being phased out of service. This is the same type of aircraft as the infamous 'Flight 19' that vanished while flying thru the Bermuda Triangle.

In addition to the airplanes Reenactors were walking around dressed in period uniforms and flight suits as well as some vintage ground vehicles. It was a thrilling sight to watch as these mighty aircraft once more took to the skies and you could easily imagine a lonely patrol flying somewhere over the Pacific in search of an enemy carrier or two.