"Pilot Maker" Day Photos at the CAF at CMA.

[Doug Robertson]

I attended this event Saturday, 9 December at the CAF at Camarillo (CMA) California Airport arriving at opening 9 am. Morning attendance was very light with just two or three other serious aircraft photographers in attendance. The CAF Southern California Wing displayed their trainers: N341MR Beech D-45 as T-34B Mentor and N89014 North American SNJ-5; and another North American AT-6 Texan in rebuild/restoration. An interesting stripped Fairchild 24R-40 in rebuild/restoration display got my attention, a "Symphony in Varnished Wood".

Jason Somes had brought in his N8540P AT-6D Texan "Miss Universe" of Jason Racing from SZP; and N548NA, a North American ex-USN T-28C Trojan was towed in from its adjacent EAA parking ramp area. N86WW, a North American SNJ-4 "Sugarfoot" also flew in shortly before noon.

I had expected more fly-in warbird trainers, but the CAF apparently did not actively recruit more outside entries. So, to fill out their ramp they opened up their C-131 Samaritan and their C-46 "China Doll". They also towed out their Grumman Bearcat N7825C with folded wings and panels off for maintenance.

The scheduled morning airshow flyover at 11:30 to 12:00 did not happen. I took about 115 photos, mainly of taxiing GA aircraft on the way to Rwy 26 or taxiing in from landing. All the above named warbirds were also photographed by me, mainly for added photos to those already in my posts here. They are now uploaded by category: Warbirds standard or Warbirds experimental. N89014 was also set up by the CAF for photos (for a fee) of attendees pictured in the cockpit. Few to none were takers.

Lunch tables in a CAF hangar were set for 75-100 it seemed; but nothing more occured so I left about 12:15. I can't report whether the scheduled afternoon fly overs at 2:00 to 2:30 happened or not. All in all, a rather underwhelming event.