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The 2024 season started for us with another new project in the USA. SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo as the event is officially called, is the little brother of Oshkosh. ‘little’ as in still being a super famous and HUGE fly in, with approx. 2000 aircraft attending that week. Our team brought the Skyvan photoship to Florida with the plan to fly with several of the airshow participants and hoping for a nice mix between vintage, aerobatic, civilian jets, military and warbirds. Verdict: Sun = 70% , FUN = 100% Ooh yes, it can rain in the ‘Sunshine State’, one of our 4 flying days was totally washed out, for our early flights on Tuesday & Wednesday the weather was flyable, and on Friday & Saturday we got the ideal scenario with a perfect steel blue sky! Our opening flight was one we will not forget easily, as we got to welcome a 16-ship!! of T-34s joining the Skyvan. In Europe we don’t get to see large formations like this, but for SUN ‘n FUN this is just a happy normal arrival at the fly in! Super impressive to see, and for next year we have already ideas! |
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| Military wise we had a good start with the NORAD PA-31 and Toledo ANG F-16, showing us how an intercept looks like. Unfortunately the KC-135 tanker was planned during that cancelled Thursday flights, so we have again another target for 2025. The biggest military fun we had was with the US Navy Rhino Team, who took their jets up twice for us. They love to fly formation with their friends, and so we got to see a join up with Kevin Coleman and Rob Holland, you know the pilot well-known for flying mostly upside down! The photos speak for themselves…. | |||
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| On the aerobatic side we were happy to welcome many of the airshow acts. Starring Grant Nielsen in an Extra, Greg Koontz in the Decatlon ( bringing the Scout with him ) , RJ Gritter in the Decatlon and Ken & Austin Rieder ( father & son ) performing in the Redline Team. As most pilots know each other very well, it always creates the chance of setting up some cool formations too! | |||
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| We had flown with Nathan Hammond before, and this time he brought us a great formation with Kyle Fowler, at sunset & fireworks included. You gotta love Florida and that super nice sunsets! | |||
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| As for civilian jets, we were spoiled again with 6 different aircraft taking to the skies for us in two photoflights. Morning light is also very rewarding, and for next year I think we gonna plan to fly every morning. It was great formation flying for all with both the S211s and L-39s And the original paint schemes did match the light very well. | |||
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Of course SUN ‘n FUN is also a Walhalla for the warbird enthusiast, as many of them make it each year in April to Lakeland. Unfortunately we had what must be our biggest “close but no cigar” moment in years…the photomission with the amazing Super Connie was planned and briefed in detail, only to find out that right after she took off there was a technical issue, and so this brilliant Lockheed design is our biggest target for next year. At the same time we were so spoiled and privileged to welcome some of the most iconic warbirds flying in the US. The bare metal B-25 ‘Panchito’ was the first to show up behind the photoship, super happy to welcome the Dauntless ( we don’t have one flying in Europe ) as it was so high on the wish list. |
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| The all-time classic Mustang came to join the
Skyvan as well…3 of them! From the Red Tail Squadron we had the Tuskegee
P-51, Jeff Linebaugh presented the ‘Gunfighter’ and Scott Yoak
showed us the ‘Quicksilver’ Mustang. We’ll never get tired
of that iconic shape AND sound. To complete the warbird part we were once
again privileged to welcome the US Navy Legacy Flight with the Corsair and
two Hornets. |
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Not everything worked out during our first SUN ‘n FUN photoflights, but what a fantastic place Lakeland is, and Bartow! And such a great team of welcoming people, we can’t wait to be back in 2025 for a lot more fun and hopefully also that ‘SUN’ part! If you like to fly with us onboard the Skyvan photoship and make these kind of photos yourself, just send a short email to for all details. On our page ‘projects’ you can see all upcoming projects and airshows we fly. |
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