For the past 34 years, Dayton has played host to one of the top airshows of North America. People come to Dayton from all over the region, and this year, even from as far away as Brazil.
The line up for this year was nothing short of spectacular, featuring the Wright B Flyer, performances by Jim LeRoy and Skip Stewart, Walt Pierce and Double Trouble, various USAF and USN demonstrations, and the USAF Thunderbirds. While this would be a lineup to match those of the best shows in the country, Dayton also hosted the Esquadrilha da Fumaca! (a.k.a., the Brazilian Smoke Squadron)
Saturday’s show had a backdrop of clouds and haze, but didn’t put a damper on the show. Most acts had to initiate their low show since the ceiling was around 2,000 feet. One benefit to having the not –so-optimal weather is that most of the military performances produced some spectacular vapor, almost as grand as what was seen at Pt. Mugu earlier in the year. All of the excitement from the performances, however, was brought to an eerie silence just after Skip Stewart, Kent Shockley and Jim LeRoy took to the aerobatic box with Code Name: Mary’s Lamb. After the first crossing maneuver, Jim LeRoy in his “Bull Dog” Pitts S2S transitioned into a loop, but upon exit of the loop, his plane struck the ground and was engulfed in flames. Jim didn’t survive the crash. He is survived by his wife and 4 year old son. Fittingly, the remainder of the show Saturday was canceled after Jim’s tragedy.
Sunday, in grand showman’s fashion, the show went on as Rob Reider mentioned to the crowd “ This is what Jim would have wanted.” Many of the performers dedicated their performances to Jim’s memory. The Esquadrilha da Fumaca opened their show with a display of sky typing “Brazilian Dot Matrix Printer Sytle”, then closed their show with a dedication “smoke” heart for Jim. The USAF Heritage flight, dedicated one extra pass from the left to Jim, having “Bondo’s” F-15 pull up and out of the lead slot for a missing man formation flight. Skip Stewart and Kent Shockley went forward with a performance of Code Name: Mary’s Lamb without Jim. Rob Reider, Dayton’s airshow announcer paid tribute to Jim with a very heartfelt speech and a moment of silence.
The Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger has established a memorial fund for Jim LeRoy’s son, Tommy. If you would like to contribute to the memorial fund, you can send donations to the “Jim LeRoy Jr. Memorial Fund,” in care of Harris Bank, located at 110 E. Irving Park Road, Roselle, IL 60172. Any questions regarding the fund should be directed to Harris Bank representative, Nancy Little, at 630-980-2700
The line up for this year was nothing short of spectacular, featuring the Wright B Flyer, performances by Jim LeRoy and Skip Stewart, Walt Pierce and Double Trouble, various USAF and USN demonstrations, and the USAF Thunderbirds. While this would be a lineup to match those of the best shows in the country, Dayton also hosted the Esquadrilha da Fumaca! (a.k.a., the Brazilian Smoke Squadron)
Saturday’s show had a backdrop of clouds and haze, but didn’t put a damper on the show. Most acts had to initiate their low show since the ceiling was around 2,000 feet. One benefit to having the not –so-optimal weather is that most of the military performances produced some spectacular vapor, almost as grand as what was seen at Pt. Mugu earlier in the year. All of the excitement from the performances, however, was brought to an eerie silence just after Skip Stewart, Kent Shockley and Jim LeRoy took to the aerobatic box with Code Name: Mary’s Lamb. After the first crossing maneuver, Jim LeRoy in his “Bull Dog” Pitts S2S transitioned into a loop, but upon exit of the loop, his plane struck the ground and was engulfed in flames. Jim didn’t survive the crash. He is survived by his wife and 4 year old son. Fittingly, the remainder of the show Saturday was canceled after Jim’s tragedy.
Sunday, in grand showman’s fashion, the show went on as Rob Reider mentioned to the crowd “ This is what Jim would have wanted.” Many of the performers dedicated their performances to Jim’s memory. The Esquadrilha da Fumaca opened their show with a display of sky typing “Brazilian Dot Matrix Printer Sytle”, then closed their show with a dedication “smoke” heart for Jim. The USAF Heritage flight, dedicated one extra pass from the left to Jim, having “Bondo’s” F-15 pull up and out of the lead slot for a missing man formation flight. Skip Stewart and Kent Shockley went forward with a performance of Code Name: Mary’s Lamb without Jim. Rob Reider, Dayton’s airshow announcer paid tribute to Jim with a very heartfelt speech and a moment of silence.
The Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger has established a memorial fund for Jim LeRoy’s son, Tommy. If you would like to contribute to the memorial fund, you can send donations to the “Jim LeRoy Jr. Memorial Fund,” in care of Harris Bank, located at 110 E. Irving Park Road, Roselle, IL 60172. Any questions regarding the fund should be directed to Harris Bank representative, Nancy Little, at 630-980-2700
| Adam Haley is a contributing photographer for World Airshow News Magazine |
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