Show Reports

Lakeland 2012

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Lakeland-Linder (United States of America)

Sun 'n Fun

27-31 March 2012

Update:24 November 2022 Jean-Michel Schweitzer      
       
Spring Break is a great time of the year to travel to the USA and join university students and others during this      
two week holiday. One of the most popular states to visit for Spring Break is Florida, not least because of its      
sunny weather during that time of the year. Usually, some aviation events are organized in the state around this      
holiday, like the Florida International Air Show at Punta Gorda and Sun’n Fun, as well as smaller events at Flagler      
and New Smyrna. Without doubt, Sun ‘n Fun is the best-known of these, held annually at Lakeland-Linder airport since      
1974. What started as a gathering of the local Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) chapter has evolved into one      
of the largest annual aviation events in the USA, reaching far beyond the state of Florida. However, the concept has      
not changed much over the years, with aircraft owners descending at Lakeland in numbers, bringing their personal aircraft,      
ranging from well-polished warbirds to zealously constructed kitplanes. Add to that an exhibition centre where the latest      
developments to the bizjet and bizprop community are shown, an interesting line-up of military aircraft and some great      
performers in the show circuit warming up their performance for the upcoming US air show season.      
       
The 2012 edition of Sun ‘n Fun was no exception to this well-proven concept. Blessed with great weather and stunning      
performances, the well-organised event offered a lot for the well-travelled aviation enthusiast. The opportunity to      
directly interact with owners, pilots and performers adds an extra dimension to Sun ‘n Fun. As most aircraft present      
flew at least once during the six day event, opportunities occur over the course of the week to make that great shot      
you are after. Aircraft are parked in various sections to the south side of this large airfield; during the air show      
some sections are shut off to enable aircraft to taxi out and perform in front of the public, which can walk large      
parts of the field south of the runway, allowing access to various great spots for photography.      
       
Participating aircraft are listed in their respective sections as presented on the official air show map. As much flying      
and towing took place during the event, aircraft may have moved during the six days the airfield was open to the public.      
The situation below was noted on Saturday 31 March. For the South east exhibits and Vintage aircraft sections, only aircraft      
with a military past, or wearing military markings, are listed. For Exhibits and Seaplanes our general rules apply, meaning      
only larger singles and up are included. Homebuilt aircraft have been left out altogether, whereas all aircraft in the Museum      
area, Warbirds, Heavy aircraft parking and Flight lines are listed. Markings have been listed between quotes, construction      
numbers are only given when actually read of.      
       
Museum area
2341 Lysander 3A preserved “V9545”
  MiG-21bis ex Germany cockpit inside
LA607/HF-T Tempest Mk2 preserved N607LA
43-11117 RP-63A preserved “29004/100”
57-0598 T-33A preserved Thunderbirds c/s
135765 XF-2Y1 preserved “135763”
138657 XFV-1 preserved “138658”
N13177 Piper E-2 preserved  
N360PJ Piper Jet preserved  
N809RB PT-17 preserved inside
South east exhibits
159619/AJ-103 F-14D preserved  
68-17308 OH-6A travelling exhibit on trailer
Vintage aircraft
N1358M N2S-2 ex Bu3452 “207”
N198DD Chipmunk T10 ex UK WP872  
N218BW IAR823 ex YR-MEC 18
N3034F Chipmunk T10 ex UK WD353  
N4921N N2S-5 ex Bu43170 “531”
N49726 PT-17 ex 42-16410 “603”
N5118N N2S-3 ex Bu07591 “184”
N54087 N2S-3 ex Bu3371 “349”
N59040 Kaydet ex Canada FJ746  
N59293 PT-17 ex 41-25714  
N59877 PT-18 ex 40-2024 “112”
N60058 Stinson V77   “FB607”
N60885 PT-17 ex 41-25268 “885”
N61322 PT-17 ex 41-8076 “220”
N63947 PT-17 ex 41-8615 “207”
N841NE P3-05 ex Switzerland A-841  
Heavy aircraft parking
98-5307 WC-130J 53rd WRS  
60-0339 KC-135R 91st ARS  
87-0339/SA F-16C 182nd FS TX ANG  
87-0384/SA F-16D 182nd FS TX ANG  
08-3926/VN T-6A 33rd FTS PT-485
65-10324/WM T-38A 394th CTS  
67-14920/WM T-38A 394th CTS  
166899/55 EA-18G VAQ-129  
163446/AD-326 F/A-18C VFA-106  
163465/AD-336 F/A-18C VFA-106  
166788/AJ-113 F/A-18E VFA-31  
761585/AF-115 F-5N VFC-111  
761578/AF-03 F-5N VFC-13  
165064/F-604 T-45C VT-86  
165092/A-113 T-45C VT-7  
163876/WH-17 AV-8B VMA-542  
164558/WH-12 AV-8B VMA-542  
N2072 L-12A Joseph R Shepherd  
N2262Z A-4C ex Bu145131 “9606/AE-402”
N500EJ R5D-4 ex Bu90414  
N514AC R4D-6 ex Bu50788 “927/EN”
N529B B-29A ex 44-62070  
N5548N RB-25H ex 43-4106  
N74589 C-47A ex 42-24062/N  
N995X L-39C ex USSR  
Warbirds
164172/5-TW-15 T-34C TAW-5 Navy Centennial c/s
N10EB CJ6A ex China “15320/10” 1532010
N10VD OV-1D ex 68-15958  
N10493 L-16A ex 47-1117 “LH-117”
N1157H Yak-9UM (new built) 0470402
N134TD T-34A ex 140745/LL-20  
N137LZ PZL-101 ex Bulgaria LZ-137  
N139RT L-39C ex USSR 332505
N18097 L-12A    
N19TN CJ6A ex China “63 wh” 2532045
N21710 CJ6A ex China 71810/10 2532059
N21790 CJ6A ex China “AK-86”
N22NA T-6G ex 49-3222 “TA-222”
N228NA T-28B ex Bu137657  
N228TS AT-28D ex Philippines 138351 “TS-76”  
N2995C L-17B ex 48-1021  
N30U U-4A ex 55-4638 247
N3238G SNJ-6 ex Bu112348 “TA-348”
N351DT Mustang IV ex Canada 9232 “413806”
N36406 L-2 ex US Army? “128”
N370SD O-2A ex 69-7659  
N39UA L-39C ex Ukraine 74 yw  
N4167P T-42A ex 65-12701  
N4168E T-28C ex Bu146239 “NJ-239”
N4313T L-39C ex USSR “88”
N462NA T-28C ex Bu140570 “E-462”
N50454 L-2M ex 43-26243  
N5073Y O-1A ex 51-4829 “4829”
N51JC P-51D ex Dom Rep 1918 “472339”
N51LW Mustang IV ex Canada 9230 “474497/H-SX”
N51MX P-51D ex El Salvador 401 “413464”
N5192G O-1G ex 51-4798  
N52XS Yak-52W ex Romania 203 9912203
N53CJ CJ6A ex China 2432062
N532SK SNJ-5 ex Bu51828 “ME-N-7”
N551TC FM-2 ex Bu47160  
N5632V T-6G ex 52-8218  
N59961 BT-13A ex 41-23075  
N6091C L-16A ex 47-1124 “LH-124”
N6097U CJ6A ex China “06” 2851276
N61429 P-51C ex 42-10365 “4”
N6420D SNJ-4 ex Bu27758 “94”
N6423D SNJ-4 ex Bu27823  
N645DS SNJ-5 ex Bu90645 “DS-45”
N651SH T-6G ex Spain E.6-168 “421-59”
N68RW F8F-2 ex Bu121776 “94996”
N7054X AT-6C ex Mexico 745  
N711LC L-39C ex USSR 40 ol  
N713JT F4U-4 ex Bu97143 “JT-416”
N75004 BT-15 ex 42-1779 “B004”
N75708 L-4J ex 45-4556 “A-45”
N7693Z AT-6C ex South Africa 7693  
N7741C AT-6F ex 44-81833  
N79VV BT-13A ex 42-89379 “EM-135”
N8124N L-39C ex USSR “Czech c/s”
N82792 CJ6A ex China 2932018
N828FE Ce208B FedEx  
N828JC T-28B ex Bu140012 “JC-283”
N851D P-51D ex 44-84745 “DS”
N87H AT-6D ex 41-34571 “87/HL-A”
N888WV T-6G ex Spain E.16-115  
N8994 AT-16ND ex Netherlands B-174 “51-JS”  
N9102Z T-28A ex 50-0201 “50449/TL-449”
N92796 T-6G ex France 114827 “TA-827”
N95480 PA-18 as L-4B “42-8403”
N9698B T-28A ex 50-0225  
N9805C SNJ-5B ex Bu85036 “JC”
Names
N351DT Crazy Horse 2 N51JC The Brat III    
N51LW Little Witch     N51MX Mad Max
N529B Fifi     N53CJ Miss Stress
N7054X Miss Susan   N7741C Peggo Jo  
N851DS Crazy Horse      
Exhibits
N.29D Beech 350i Hawker Beechcraft  
N113KJ Waco YMF-F5C Centennial  
N119KA Beech 200GT Triple Ace  
N138MA TBM700 Muncie Avn  
N189LE Beech G36 Berryhill Avn  
N255EE EMB500 Embraer  
N264CA Ce510 Cessna  
N289HB Premier I Biozyme  
N313NG PC-12/47E Epps Air Service  
N343GC Ce208B Cessna  
N565RB PA-44-180    
N60KQ Kodiak 100 Quest  
N65HA Kodiak 100 Quest  
N719MS Kodiak 100 MAS Ventures  
N8031M Beech G58 Hawker Beechcraft  
N805PA DA-42 Bravo  
N8139G Beech C90GTi Hawker Beechcraft  
N839M C-47A Dodson  
N850XX TBM700 Transatlantic  
N88667 Piper J3C-65 Gerel A Crosby  
N896LS EMB505 Leon Phenom  
N925DW LancairEvolution Columbia Aicraft Midwest  
VH-AQO GA-8-TC320 Gipps Aero  
Seaplanes
N40022 P136L-1 Aerolyn “AMI c/s”
N404Q G-44A Weeks Air Museum  
N52DN Beech D18S Douglas A. Nealy  
N611DS G-73 Don M. Simmonds  
N6652K RC-3 Mark Adema  
N713ET RC-3 Edgar Tello  
N98BS G-73 LAC Mngt  
Flightlines south side
N3267G SNJ-5 ex Bu51971  
N3575 Bell 47D1 Roger A Buis  
N4269Q T-6G ex Portugal ex 53-4558  
N488B F-28A American Trans Air Training  
N7462C AT-6F ex 44-82489  
N911JP OH-58A ex 71-20419  
N991GM AT-6D ex Mexico 781  
Flightlines north side
N128DR T-28A ex Mexico 946 “17588/TL-588”  
N135EM L-39ZA ex Romania 106  
N136EM L-39C ex USSR 117 yw  
N137EM L-39C ex USSR  
N6953X Lim-6R ex Poland 511  
N9143Z Lim-5 ex Poland 1707  
And the Thunderbirds F-16Cs code 1 till 8, of which one was an F-16D.      

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