My friend Smilin' Jack flew us to Kerrville in his 1949 year-model Cessna 170A.

Jack checks his fuel before take-off.

Trouble the Cat is the unofficial mascot of Smilin' Jack's home field.

Yerz trooly, Downwind Jaxon, and Smilin' Jack's faithful ship.

Smilin' Jack at the controls.

Taxiing to the ramp, itchin' to get airborne.

Soon after landing in Kerrville, we saw this beautiful polished-aluminum Ercoupe.
That's Smilin' Jack at parade rest. This was my favorite 'coupe of the four we saw at the show.

Her instrument panel has that 1940s flew-there buzzed-that look.

Same 'coupe, further back.
The late, great Fred Weick, aeronautical engineer emeritus, sure knew how to design an airplane.

Looking down her wing. Such lines!

Steve Johnson of Bloomington, Indiana took Best of Show (popular vote) and Best Custom Antique
for his Beechcraft Staggerwing. Steve's ship was manufactured in 1943. He has lovingly and immaculately
restored her right down to the last rivet.

The Luscombe Silvaire, an extraordinarly graceful and beautiful aircraft.

This Silvaire's interior is as eye-catching as her exterior.
The owner of this aircraft has a wonderful sense of style.

From under the wing of the Silvaire we spied another Ercoupe.

Smilin' Jack checks her instrument panel...

...and sees this.

Robbie Vajdos of Louise, Texas won the Best Biplane Award in the Antique Division
for his PT-17 Stearman in U.S. Army Air Corps scheme.

This World War I replica is inspired by the Spad XIII.

A Warcoupe (Ercoupe in military scheme).

The Air Corps employed the Ercoupe, military designation YO-55, for the first rocket-assisted take-off tests (RATO) in August, 1941. This Warcoupe color scheme is from that time period.

Also correct to that era is imaginative cartoon nose art.
Poor Daffy Duck looks rather exhausted. Too much RATO maybe?

The Warcoupe's cockpit.

Downwind Jaxon's nominee for Best Commie Retread goes to this humongous Antonov AN-2. (NATO code name Colt, in case you get attacked by one). Made in Russia from 1947 to the mid-60s, and in Poland after that. This one was manufactured in 1983. It carries either 12 passengers or 16 paratroopers. Paint scheme is based on the Texas flag. Yeee-haww, comrade!

As the hour grew late and we moseyed on back to our ship,
that fetching little polished-aluminum Ercoupe also headed for home...

...cleared the runway...

...and flew into the wild blue yonder.
Holy Toledo, what a beautiful airplane!

Meanwhile, Smilin' Jack got the faithful 170 on to the ramp...

...and Downwind Jaxon got a few minutes at the controls on the way home.
Now that's the way to spend a Saturday!

"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds -- and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of -- wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,
Where never lark, or even eagle, flew;
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high, untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

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