Air Show in Kraków
On June 25-26, 2016 (Saturday-Sunday), the twelfth Małopolska Aviation Picnic took place at the Polish Aviation Museum.
On June 25-26, 2016. (Saturday-Sunday), the twelfth Małopolska Aviation Picnic took place at the Polish Aviation Museum. The train of fun was, as usual, the oldest airport in the Republic of Poland – Rakowice-Czyżyny Airport. Historic base of the 2nd Air Regiment, and at the same time the second largest Polish airport from the interwar period. Currently, the largest and best aviation museum in Europe. This year the weather was good and it was possible to implement the entire program. As every year, commentator of the air shows was Mr. Jan Hoffmman. Huge aviation enthusiast. A man of great aviation knowledge. He can talk about aviation in an interesting and witty way, often revealing the backstage of aviation cuisine. The admission ticket to the Picnic was 20 zlotys (normal) and was at the same level as the year before. That’s good.
As every year, there was a lot to see. We will only quote an incomplete list of aircraft: Boeing Stearman, P-51D Mustang, Remos G-3, CH-7 Kompress, Eurostar EV97 SL, Cessna 152, Xenon 2 RST, Piper J3 / Cub, Zodiak XL, Extra EA 300/200, Piper Cub L-4H, P-92 ECHO SUPER, Pipistrell Virus 912 UL, XA41, WT-9 Dynamic, Reims-Cessna FR172E, W-3, Piper PA-38, Eurostar EV 97, Su-31, Stinson 108 Voyager, WT 10 Advantic, Cessna 182 T, PZL-130 Orlik TC II, Bu-131Pa Jungmann, M-28BPT / G, Motolotnia VEGA Profi TL, Tecnam P2008, Savannah S, BRM Aero Bristell Classic, Comco Ikarus C42, Fokker Dr.1 , AERO AT3 R100, TS-8 Bies, AERO AT3 R100, Extra 330 SC, TS-11 Iskra Bis D, RWD-5R, Jak-18, Nieuport 11, AN-2 TD, Auster Tulak, Yak-C11, Zlin 50LS , Extra 300L, Zlin Z-226 MS, Sopwith F1 Camel, Cessna 152, SW-4 Puszczyk, Cessna 172, LET Z 37 "Cmelak", Pipistrel Virus SW, TL-2000 Sting Carbon RG, Jak-12A, MDM-1 Solo Fox, CASA C-295, Z-326 M, Z 226 MS, Z 526 AFS-V, JAK – 52, Z-226T, PO 2, AN 2, Bell 407 GX, WT-9 Dynamic, Virus 912, Mi -8, Schweizer HU 269.
Among the well-known and titled Polish pilots should be mentioned: Artur Kielak, Robert Kowalik and Jerzy Makuła, the same who a few weeks later, on July 31, 2016, had the honor to pilot the PLL LOT Boeing B-787 plane with the Holy Father Francis, who was returning to the Vatican after World Youth Day. Flight from Krakow to Rome. Among the foreign pilots I will mention Jurgis Kairys and Uwe Zimmermann.
The star of the show was the legendary North American P-51 Mustang "Louisiana Kid" Yankee fighter from the Second World War. The plane was flown on October 26, 1940. It was built in the amount of nearly 17,000 pieces. It was still in service with some countries in the 1980s. Today, many of these machines are in the hands of collectors and are kept in a volatile state. The specimen presented at the picnic is No. 44-73254 and was built in 1944. He reached England by sea, but the war was over and the plane returned to the USA. He ended up in the Canadian Air Force, and after his service ended in private hands. Currently, the pilot of this aircraft is its owner, Wilhelm Heinz, captain of Airberlin. The plane is based on the Albstadt-Degerfeld airport near Stuttgart.
Aircraft: An-2 "Wiedenczyk" with pilots Zbigniew Chłopecki and Jerzy Antonkiewicz, a CASA C-295 plane from the Balice 8 BLTr airport and a Black Hawk helicopter, which flew specially from the Mielec factory.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman