Short Show, High Spirits at El Toro

Masked in camouflage face paint, 9-year-old Justin Smith aimed his toy machine-gun at a U.S. Marine AV-8B Harrier fighter plane hovering about 150 above him Friday and fired.

Having done this for six consecutive years now, the aspiring Navy pilot said, “I hardly ever miss.”

As the huge craft darted left and right, its powerful engines drowning out all other sound at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, Justin dropped his weapon and covered his ears.

“I thought we’d get earplugs,” the Irvine youth complained.

So began the U.S. Marine Corps annual Special Air Show for children, the elderly and the disabled. The special morning show, the first part of the three-day El Toro Air Show, drew about 75,000 spectators, and was followed by a first-ever twilight performance that drew a second crowd of about 100,000.

The twilight show, which promised aircraft lighting up the sky and fireworks, had to be cut short after low cloud cover made conditions dangerous for the pilots and left visibility near zero for spectators.

“It was a bit of a disappointment; I would have liked more planes,” said Susan Charles of Irvine. “I mean, that’s what we came to see. But what we did get to see was still pretty spectacular.”

Because the evening air show was cut short, those who bought a grandstand ticket for Friday night may reuse their tickets today or Sunday.

There were some fears that traffic from the twilight show, coming at the same time as rush hour, would create colossal jams Friday evening. But traffic mostly ran smoothly around the base.

The opening day included flight demonstrations of some of the military’s most technologically advanced aircraft and death-mocking aerial acrobatics performed by civilian daredevils.

The day was capped by a series of high-speed, precise stunts by the Navy’s Blue Angels.

As planes twirled, spun and soared into a bright morning sun, then looped around upside-down and screamed past the crowd, spectators gasped.

“I saw a crash here once a few years ago,” said Mardi Spalding of Laguna Beach. “A few times there, I thought we’d done it again.”

Spalding celebrated her 75th birthday Friday by going to the spectacle for the 46th time.

“I’ve been coming here since the beginning,” she said. “I have to go to each and every opening day. I come from a military family. Besides, it’s always so great.”

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For 17 years now, the Marines have opened the Air Show by putting on a performance for people who might be intimidated by the even larger crowds expected during the event’s second and third day.

Though traffic outside the air base was clogged before and after Friday’s show, it becomes ridiculous during the weekend performances, said Kay Guthrie of Irvine.

For six years, Guthrie has taken her 22-year-old son, Kevin, who is mildly retarded and has cerebral palsy, to the Friday show.

“Before, we avoided coming because he has special needs that can’t be addressed when the crowd gets too big,” Guthrie said.

With easily accessible bathrooms and a contingent of Marine medical personnel always nearby, Guthrie said, “Disabled people are allowed to have their dignity while having fun here.

“It would break [Kevin’s] heart if he couldn’t come here. He adores the Blue Angels.”

As the Navy FA-18 Hornets soared overhead and the sky seemed to crack from the sound, Kevin happily cheered them on.

“Go number five!” he yelled as a Blue Angel joined four others to form an arrowhead.

Some pilots there inspired the crowd in deeper ways. Dan Buchanan, a paraplegic for 15 years, gracefully pirouetted his hang-glider to the astonishment of some spectators in a wheelchair.

“It’s amazing,” said Gary Geer, 45, who was born with polio and has never had use of his legs. “It’s one thing to never be able to walk. But to lose your ability to walk and overcome the anguish like that is incredible.

“It proves to me that you can be a success no matter what your condition is.”