Weekend Warbirds
It was Labor Day weekend, and I had just woken up on Saturday morning. I grabbed my daily sugar-free Monster (yes, I know they’re terrible for me) and collapsed onto the couch, still trying to wake up. That’s when I heard it—a strange-sounding airplane in the distance.
Living near a few airports, I’ve become a bit of an airplane nerd. My fiancée laughs when I immediately whip out my FlightRadar app to see what’s flying overhead. This time, I was in for a surprise: a B-29 Superfortress. That’s when it clicked—Lunken Airport was hosting its annual Airport Days that weekend. With nothing on my Saturday agenda besides chores, I decided that could wait. The airport was calling.
The weather was perfect, so I took my Honda Grom (a 125cc motorcycle) and opted for the long, scenic way there. It was exactly what I needed to clear my head. Plus, I had a practical reason: I figured parking would be packed, and the little bike would slip easily into tight spots near the gate.
As I rolled into the lot, I was greeted by the unmistakable silhouette of a P-51 Mustang sitting just feet from the fence. At that moment, I knew I’d made the right choice. A free event with legendary aircraft on display definitely beat sitting at home doing chores.
I’ll admit—I’m still new to the aviation hobby, so I couldn’t immediately identify every plane I was looking at. But that was half the fun. I spent the morning wandering between aircraft, reading the placards, chatting with booth volunteers, and talking shop with fellow photographers snapping away.
Getting clean shots was a challenge, though. The tarmac was crowded, and every good angle seemed to come with a dozen people walking through it. More than once I found myself staking out a composition and waiting twenty minutes for just the right moment. That’s the photographer’s patience at work.
For gear, I leaned on my 70-200mm lens. Honestly, it was an odd choice for ground shots in such a crowded space, but I had hoped it would shine for capturing planes flying overhead. Unfortunately, the runway in use that day was really far from the viewing area, which made things a bit tricky. Still, I did my best to make the most of it and look for creative opportunities.
I ended the day sitting under Lunken’s iconic tower with an ice-cold homemade lemonade from a local vendor. Watching the crowd mill around, with the hum of airplanes in the background, was the perfect cap to a spontaneous adventure.
Next time you find yourself with a free Saturday and nothing planned—skip the chores. Go do something. You never know when a random sound in the distance will lead to a great memory.
Enjoy the photos below from my Labor Day adventure!
