The Reporter covers Miller, Morgan and Camden County in Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks and is published once per week on Wednesdays.

A local veteran returns from taking a ride on a B-25 Mitchell bomber last Friday (left) while the bomber prepares to take off (above). Volunteers paid for the free rides for veterans in the bomber and a P-51 Mustang. More photos on page 12. (Reporter photos by Jeff Thompson)

Published September 24, 2014

Airshow preparations: work, practice and more work

By Jeff Thompson
CAMDENTON - Before the roar of engines filled the air, before the excitement of acrobatic flights brought cries of joy and screams of disbelief from thousands of visitors, before the vendor booths were manned and displays placed for viewing, before a father put his child up on his shoulders to get a better view of a plane taking off …

Before all that occurred at the 2014 Lake of the Ozarks Air Show held Saturday, September 20, at Camdenton Memorial Airport, Friday afternoon saw a much more subtle focus of activity.

That afternoon revealed some of the behind-the-scenes, last-minute efforts that go into creating such a large and popular event.

The practice flights in particular allowed pilots to acquaint themselves and their airplanes to the specific characteristics of an airport and are as essential to the event as ample supplies of aviation fuel.

For instance, the KC Flight Formation Team took a pass across the airport grounds trailing colored smoke as each plane pulled up and away from the formation one at a time while the announcer’s platform stood barren of excited voices heralding the incredible skill of the pilots.

But not all flights were simply practice runs.

A B-25 Mitchell bomber and its crew were bringing WWII veterans onboard for a trip into the past with little fanfare past the gratefulness of families and honor guard efforts from the Combat Vets Association.

The ground crew dressed in fatigue-green flight suits assisted the B-25 pilots in pre-flight checks and procedures, then directed the massive airplane to the runway.

The B-25 idled its way to the end of the runway and turned into the wind, its engines being held in check. Then those same engines began to howl and roar for the full power needed for take-off.

Slowly at first, but gaining speed with every second, the B-25 raced down the runway, arching into the sky with another group of WWII veterans.

While volunteers such as Brenda Colter and Sandy Osborn wearing bright yellow “staff” T-shirts assisted with the veterans’ honor flights, Airport Manager Corey Leuwerke raced back and forth in a golf cart in a somewhat frantic effort to make sure everything was on track for the Saturday event.

Leuwerke stopped at every group of people, every small knot of activity to check their progress.

“Everything all right,” he asked. “Everything okay?”

“You bet!” someone answered, and Leuwerke would take off to the next group.

Amidst the relative quiet, vacant metal shells reserved for a variety of vendors and businesses stood in a row along the runway, empty of the balloons and banners and products that would soon bring life to the unadorned booths.

Further down the line, emergency personnel such as Mid-County Fire Chief Scott Frandsen and Camdenton Fire Chief Drew Stark met to go over all the last-minute details that would help make the airport a safe place for pilots and visitors alike.

Bright red safety cones lining the walkway held yellow caution tape that swayed in a slight breeze that Friday afternoon, marking the areas between public and private use.

Eventually the B-25 circled the airport as it readied itself for a landing while Leuwerke drove back in the opposite direction, heading for the airport office.

He didn’t have to worry about winding his golf cart slowly from one location to the next through thousands of people waiting for the next flight of aerial acrobatics or simply getting in line for the bathrooms.

Leuwerke didn’t have to worry dodging the crowds, the vast multitudes of visitors to the 2014 Lake of the Ozarks Air Show.

That would happen tomorrow.

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