Mojave Plane Crazy Saturday Photos

This month's Plane Crazy Saturday was also tied in with the annual "Yuri's Night" festivities. This is a celebration of space achievement, typically held on April 12th, the day of Yuri Gagarin's launch as the first man into space, and also the date of the first Space Shuttle launch (for more info, visit http://yurisnight.net/). Representing Mojave's growing space development industry were XCOR Aerospace with several engines and their EZRocket, and Masten Space Systems displaying their rocket engine test stands. Right: XCOR's Aleta Jackson explains the concept of mach diamonds in a rocket's exhaust plume to a fascinated youngster.

Left:XCOR also makes really classy tables! Right: Masten's Ben Brockert explains some upcoming rocket engine testing that they will be doing for their X Prize Cup efforts.

Aleta Jackson kindly provided the two photos below. Left: "A young lad who wants to be a rocketship pilot poses by the EZ-Rocket." Right"A goodly representation of what happens at the Mojave Air and Space Port. Rockets, bi-planes, general aviation, a MiG, and the Nemisis NXT."

Left: Always a favorite is this stunning red Cessna 195 which lives at the nearby private Ancient Valley airport. Right: Hollywood aerial stunt coordinator Mike Patlin brought his latest student pilot and a gorgeous Siai-Marchetti SF-260C over.

Ronny and Paula Alldredge of Tehachapi brought down their gorgeously restored Beech T-34 Mentor for the first time. This plane was built in 1955 and served in the USAF before being transfered to the Indonesian Air Force in 1961. The Alldredges brought it back to the states in 1988 and did a wonderful job making it look new again.

An unexpected treat was the appearance of two Aero L-39s, which happened to arrive for lunch unaware that a public event was underway. 

Making it's first Plan Crazy Saturday appearance this month was Bob "Stambo" Stambovsky's ex-RAF BAC Mk5A Jet Provost, which was once based at Mojave, but now lives down at Fox Field.

After the crowds had headed home, Mojave warbird collector and restorer Al Hansen took the opportunity to do a few high-speed taxi runs and short hops in his latest rebuild project, a T-28 Trojan (which had been on display earlier in the day). Congrats, Al, that radial engine sure sounded good!