Confessions of an Air Show Announcer; From Tankers to Warbirds
November 1, 2022

After serving aboard the Coral Sea, General Motors TBM-3E Bu53785 (NL7075C) became tanker 55 with Reeder Flying Service in Idaho. Restored in Royal Navy colors, it flew with Planes of Fame at FCM. It still reeked from the chemicals it had carried.
The alarm interrupted the smoke jumper presentation "Ladies and gentlemen, please move to the side of the room,
we have an alert." Obediently, we tourists moved to the side
as the jumpers accessed their gear and exited. Once they
were out of the building, we were allowed to go outside to
the edge of the ramp upon which a CASA 212 and a venerable
C-47A (N100Z) in United States Forest Service white and
red awaited with engines already starting to turn over.
Behind me I heard big radial engines, power being pulled
back, coming in to land. The lead aircraft was a Lockheed
Neptune (N4235N), tank...
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