300,000 See Final Day of Aerial Derring-Do

An estimated 300,000 people--about the crowd that Marine officials expected--saw the second and final day of the Navy Relief Air Show Sunday at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

On Saturday, about 100,000 people, or about half the usual first-day attendance, streamed into the El Toro air station to watch the Navy’s crack precision flying team, the Blue Angels, and other air show thrills. Marine officials had expected a total of 500,000 to attend over the two days.

“We think the show was a very big success on both days,” said Lt. Tim Hoyle, a public affairs representative for the base.

Many Arrived Early

He said that many motorists arrived outside the base at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, an hour and a half before the gates opened and about three hours before the first air show event was scheduled to begin. “They wanted to make sure they had good seats,” he said.

The annual show is sometimes called “Southern California’s largest free show.” Proceeds from concession stands on the base go to the Navy Relief Fund, which aids Navy and Marine personnel and their families in times of financial need.

Hoyle said the crowd both days was orderly. There were no accidents, including no aerial mishaps, and only a handful of people required medical help during the day, for minor things such as sunburn.

On May 18, the public will get a chance to look at the nearby Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin as the helicopter base hosts its eighth annual Armed Forces Day Celebration.

That event, also free, will offer an array of classic cars, vintage aircraft and modern Marine helicopters. The theme for the show is “Rotors and Roadsters,” and base officials said that drag-racing cars, including the “General Lee” car from the “Dukes of Hazzard” television series, will be on display, along with the base’s helicopters.

The Tustin open house also will feature music by the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, a pancake breakfast and five-kilometer and 10-kilometer races. The races, also open to the public, will wind around the base. Registration for the race begins at 7 a.m., when the gates open for the day’s activities.

“Throughout the day, there will be radio-controlled model airplane shows, rides on the Goodyear blimp, street rod Olympics and drag-racing heats,” said a base announcement.