Skies Too Crowded for Military and Rain: First Day of Annual Air Show Is Cut Short

Thousands of people attending the annual Marine Corps air show at El Toro forgot about suntan lotion and sunglasses Saturday. Instead, the day’s hot item was a large green plastic garbage bag doubling as a raincoat.

The weather never did fully cooperate for the 38th annual Navy Relief Air Show on Saturday at the Marine Corps air station. Even before the gates opened at 9 a.m., black rain clouds began moving over the air station northeast of Irvine. The air show is expected to continue today as scheduled, with the gates opening again at 9 a.m.

For the first three hours Saturday, threatening clouds produced only a few sprinkles.

World’s Smallest Jet

The show went on, and more than half of the scheduled events were completed before the real rain came at noon, forcing cancellation of the rest of the day’s events, including that of the main attraction, the famed Blue Angels, an aerial acrobatic team of Navy and Marine pilots who fly F/A-18A fighter jets in performances around the world.

Marine officials said they were unable to estimate the number of people attending Saturday.

In the past, the two-day event has drawn as many as 500,000 spectators.

During Saturday’s events, the world’s smallest jet--only 12 feet long and weighing 432 pounds--got off the ground and did loops and rolls before the large crowd seated and standing along the military runway. The little jet--called the Coors Light Silver Bullet--was flown by veteran stunt pilot Bob Bishop, who flew the craft straight up, straight down or upside down most of the time.

Air Force Maj. John M. White got applause as he flew his F-16C Fighting Falcon low across the runway and into a climb straight up, disappearing through a dark cloud above the field. Back down he would come and across the field again, rolling the plane upside down and into short turns that produced thunderous sounds from its Pratt & Whitney turbofan engine. The aircraft has been called the military’s most maneuverable and responsive fighter jet and can fly twice the speed of sound.

The old, stocky biplanes did not fly as fast as the sleek fighter jets, but the audience’s attention became glued to the airplanes when it was discovered that someone was standing on the wings. And there the wing walkers stayed, even when the “double winger” flew upside down.

It was Jim Franklin, Johnny Kazian, Eliot Cross and Lorie Ross’s Dueling WACOS and Wing Walking Act. They walk on the wings while the aircraft reach speeds of more than 200 m.p.h.

‘Thought They Were Crazy’

“I thought they were crazy when they were inside the cockpits, now they’re getting out on the wings,” a man said as one of the biplanes passed, bringing laughter from those around him.

Attractions on the ground included some of the free world’s largest, fastest and sleekest helicopters, fighter jets and transport aircraft, which were parked along the Tarmac for public inspection. There were also guided missiles, tanks and armored personnel carriers.

The biggest plane on hand was the Air Force’s C-5A. It is the military’s version of a Boeing 747 and is capable of carrying 265,000 pounds of cargo or 345 fully equipped combat troops, two big battle tanks, 16 three-quarter ton trucks, three CH-47C helicopters--or nine fully equipped Dixieland jazz bands.

The aircraft’s four jet engines produce the power equal to 800 average cars, and if the electrical wire inside the C-5A were unraveled it would stretch for 103 miles.

A big attraction was the CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter. The Super Stallion, the largest helicopter made outside the Soviet Bloc, is 100 feet long and is powered by three large jet engines. The aircraft is capable of lifting 16 tons of cargo or 55 combat troops at a cruising speed of 173 m.p.h.

Other exhibits included the small--but deadly--Sea Cobra helicopter, the Huey helicopter, A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 Phantom, the AV-’B Harrier, KC-130 Hercules, A6-E Intruder, CH-46 helicopter, CH-53 Sea Stallion, KC-10 transports and the C-141.

The annual air show, which raises money for the nonprofit Navy Relief Society, is one of the few events during which the air station is open to the public.

According to Maj. Gen. D.E.P. Miller, commanding general of El Toro’s 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, the show is a way for the Marines to demonstrate what they do at El Toro and other western area Marine Corps bases and stations.

The first serious rain swept in at noon and lasted about 10 minutes. It stopped briefly, then started again in earnest. It quickly became clear that the rain clouds were not going to depart in time for the scheduled 2:30 p.m. performance of the Blue Angels in their F/A-18A Hornets, which sat on the apron in full view of the emptying bleachers. They would not fly that day.

Disappointed spectators left and headed for their cars.

“We had enough,” a woman said as she tried to outrun the raindrops with her husband and small son. “Some people are still out there, but very few.”

Many of the most civilian visitors were clad in dark green or charcoal-colored raincoats fashioned from large garbage bags.

There seemed to be two favorite styles Saturday.

One had small holes cut on the sides through which arms protruded. It was slipped on much like a pullover sweater.

The other style--with a slit down the front of the bag--was worn very much like the standard Marine-issue poncho.