A veteran of the silver screen, this B-25J Heavenly Body appeared in the movie, “Catch-22.”
By Hayman Tam
Thirty thousand people were expected to attend the 18th Pacific Coast Dream Machines show held in April at Half Moon Bay Airport. The skies were blue and the weather mild, a perfect setting to see airplanes.
Not an air show, this event is a celebration of all things mechanical. A vast array of machines are brought in and demonstrated for spectators milling about the airport grounds. From a wood-burning “steam” roller to high-tech Segways, there was something for everyone to admire. Hundreds of cars also drove in for display.
All the aircraft were clustered at the north end of the field, with the tall tail of a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130 marking the center of the static display. A variety of planes was on display, warbirds and civilian alike.
Some were rare, like the two-place Air & Space 18 gyroplane flown in from Palo Alto, Calif., one of only 68 built. It demonstrated its jump takeoff technique when it left later in the day. Other planes, like a P-51 Mustang, had enough visitors to fill their own static area.
A Sacramento-based HC-130 dominated the static display lineup.
A replica of the 1934 de Havilland DH-88 Comet racer was also on display. Its striking color and sleek lines make it a classic among historical aircraft. The original Comet gained fame by winning the MacRobertson Air Race from England to Australia.
The B-25J Heavenly Body had long lines of guests waiting to tour its interior. An HC-130 was also popular with those wanting to enter the tail ramp for a look around.
The Hiller Aviation Museum brought its DC-3, which taxied past the crowd into its parking spot and performed a crowd-pleasing engine run-up before shutting down and setting up the display. The Hiller Museum also provided the smallest plane seen at the show, a BD-5.
Because this wasn’t an air show, no pilots had scheduled performances or aerobatics displays. That didn’t stop several pilots from doing low flybys of the airfield after takeoff. Famed Half Moon Bay resident Eddie Andreini took to the sky several times in his various aircraft, to conduct such flybys, some in formation with other warbirds.
Later in the day, the EAA-operated B-17 Aluminum Overcast made a surprise low flyby. Many spectators remained until the end of the event, to watch the long line of visiting planes taxi by and depart.
Local microbreweries and plenty of food booths were on hand to fuel the crowds. Proceeds from the show help fund the Coastside Adult Day Health Center.
Half Moon Bay Airport is located on the coast, about 20 miles south of San Francisco. Originally built for the U.S. Army in 1942, San Mateo County acquired it in 1947.
-
- This replica of a 1934 de Havilland Comet racer echoes the design style of that era.
-
- A constant stream of passengers kept this 1930 New Standard D-25 busy all day.
-
- This Beech C-45 gave passengers a unique experience.
-
- The B-17G Aluminum Overcast made a surprise afternoon flyby.
-
- This unique 1965 Air & Space Model 18 gyroplane heads home to Palo Alto.
-
- A Hawker Sea Fury pairs up with Eddie Andreini in his Yak-9U for a photo pass.
-
- This Cessna 185 floatplane, taking off at the end of the show, is a rare sight in this area.
-
- The immaculate Hiller Aviation Museum DC-3 taxis by the crowd after arriving at Half Moon Bay.
-
- Visitors were offered rides in this Schweizer 269 helicopter.
-
- A P-40E Warhawk arrives to join the other warbirds on display.
-
- The Hiller Aviation Museum’s DC-3 dwarfed the BD-5 kit plane it also brought.
-
- A colorful Pitts S-32C taxies out for takeoff.
-
- The Kimberly Kaye arrives to join the many P-51s on display.
-
- A Beech Staggerwing takes to the sky at the end of the day.
-
- The last version of the Mustang to be produced, the P-51H was lighter and faster than its predecessors.
-
- A 1946 Navion, one of the first postwar civilian aircraft designs, heads home.
-
- This Boeing Stearman was built in 1945.
-
- This Yak-11 Moose fighter/trainer has been upgraded with a Pratt & Whitney R-2000 engine.
-
- Eddie Andreini took delivery of this newly built Yak-9U in 1996.
-
- Many American World War II pilots flew Vultee BT-13 Valiant basic trainers.
-
- This FedEx Cessna 208 operates between Oakland International Airport and its smaller delivery hubs.
-
- This North American T-28 Trojan included an arrestor hook for carrier landings.
-
- The Hiller Aviation Museum DC-3 lifts off for the return trip to Oakland.