Air Show at Old Rhinebeck Aerodome

After we enjoyed walking around the different buildings that incorporate the Aerodome Museum, we walked down the hill and across the road to the area where the Air Show is held. 

You can take a ride in a plane up the Hudson River for $75.  They give the rides on the weekends when the Air Shows are held but you can make arrangements to take one during the week.  We're thinking about doing that.

Path to the Air Show Seating

 1917 Albatros (reproduction)

As we walked the path, we walked by the airplanes that would be in the show.

We also walked by several old automobiles and other means of transportation that are incorporated into the show this Sunday.

An early Ford Model T, one of the most popular

early production automobiles

Believe it or not, this is also a Ford Model T!

Since we came for the Sunday Show, we saw the World War I planes.  The Saturday Show is normally a history of flight and is pre-WWI.

A Caudron G.3 built in France 1913-1918

A Fokker D-VII built in Germany in 1918 and used very successfully against Allied craft.

A New Standard D-25, designed expressly for barn-storming is the plane used for giving rides over the Hudson Valley.

Copy of a French Spad VII built in 1916

Another group of passengers begin their journey

over the Hudson Valley

This is the area that gets bombed during the WW I performance, however, this week their pyrotechnics guy was on vacation so the bombing was obviously not what it normally is as the MC kept referring to the fact that it just isn't the same without the big bomb splashes and the fire!

Back on the ground and ready for the next group of riders

And they're off again!

Before the performance started there was an early 1900's Fashion Show with members of the audience participating.

The fashion show participants then got a ride in a vintage automobile as their reward for participating.

This is an early 1900s electric car that also carried some fashion show participants. You read that right - an electric car!

This is a World War I Vintage French Tank

We've got one in the air

This plane didn't get far off the ground but they did get it in the air for half the length of the runway.

At this point in the show, two aircrafts had a contest to see who could slice through a toilet paper roll more than the other plane.  It was really kind of cool!

The white is the toilet paper hanging in the air and this plane is about to slice through it.  

The toilet paper has been sliced through several times as you can see in the above picture.

The TP slicing competitors

Back on the ground after some fun competition.

The Fokker D-VII takes to the skies

As the planes were flying over head there was drama on the field also.  The Red Baron snatches Trudy Truelove and Sir Percy Goodfellow is left with his head in a tuba.  When Sir Percy finally gets the tuba off his head he sets out to rescue Trudy.

The smoke trails make it easier to see the flight pattern.

Sir Percy racing to the rescue

A Piper Cub waiting to take off

Airborne!

The Red Baron went up in this plane