SimHQ.com - Air Combat Zone - Feature: Corsairs Over Connecticut

"This is a real special event," he said. "You can tell right away that the people attending know about the history of this area and are respectful of what's happening here today. Having the Corsair pilots together is great; it's hard to tear yourself away from their stories. This community is really showing its support for the airplane and the people who made and flew it."

'Panchito' roared up for an impressive low-level demonstration before heading off to its home in Delaware, followed by the last of the Corsairs after three days of performances.

Watching one of the performances, Henry "Boo" Bourgeois of VMF-214 said the crowd reminded him of family.

"The weather was great, the people were great, and of course what I really enjoyed was all the young ladies coming up to give us kisses," he added with a smile.

McClurg, seated next to him, said that he had sold out of his newly-published book, and that interest in the Corsair had generated a lot of detailed questions.

"This is one of the greatest air shows we've ever been to," he said.

As the Corsairs completed their flights and headed for their homes one by one, all that was left for the crowd were the field's 1920s-era hangars, the now-empty Vought-Sikorsky factory, and memories of the days when history was made on this very same spot by legends of aviation.

You can see other photos from "Corsairs Over Connecticut" here.

Published for the Atlantic Flyer aviation newspaper and SimHQ.

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