The Biggest Little Airshow

Written by Jay Smith As featured on page 24 in the March 2012 issue. Watch a video, see photos, and read an except from the article.

As modelers, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to fly our aircraft at some historic sites. Places such as Piper Field in Pennsylvania, Torrey Pines near San Diego, and the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, are a few that come to mind.

For the last four years, a partnership between the Pacific Aviation Museum, the Birds of Paradise Air Show Team, and the Paradise Flyers Radio Control Club has made it possible to fly RC models as part of the Biggest Little Air Show on Ford Island, Hawaii. The island is located in the middle of Pearl Harbor on the center of the Japanese attack on December 7, 1941.

The partnership between the modelers and the museum allows some lucky modelers to fly aircraft again from this historic site, with the potential to educate and entertain more than 2,500 spectators during the two-day event.

The 2011 Biggest Little Air Show, held on Saturday and Sunday, August 20 and 21, was well planned and staffed by a large number of volunteers. Although model flying was the main focus of the event, the museum had a live band performing and several vendors and organizations were in attendance.

Throughout the show, roughly 80 aircraft in attendance were on display. Spectators were able to get a good look at them and ask the pilots questions. The announcers provided a wealth of information about the aircraft flown, as well as biographies for each of the pilots.

Enjoy online exclusive photos of the event. You can also watch video footage of the event using Jay Smith's GoPro camera on Wyatt Heine's aircraft. Aloha.