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World-War II Airplane Show

Later this week, more than 30 vintage World War II warbirds are to descend on Destin. Starting Thursday, Destin’s airport will become the home of the 2nd Joe Max Fly-In, an event put on by local dentist and avid warbird pilot Dr. Joe Carnley and fellow pilot Max Matthews.

Carnley, who survived a bout with encephalitis earlier this year that nearly took his life, said he’s happy to be here, happy to be flying and happy to be putting on an event that honors his favorite pastime.

“Part of the reason that we decided to have it again is because I’m still here,” he said. Carnley’s obsession with warbirds started when he and Max bought a T-6 warbird together. “We flew it for a while and finally we said, ‘This isn’t going to work,’ ” he said. “We really didn’t enjoy flying in the backseat.”

A couple years ago, Carnley and Matthews hosted the first fly-in and the event was a success. Attempts to have the event recently have been foiled by bad weather and high fuel prices that made the cost of traveling to Destin cumbersome for far-away pilots.

This year’s fly-in promises to be a good one with 32 planes committed to attend. The planes are mostly T-6 Texans, which are a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft designed by North American Aviation and used to train fighter pilots during World War II.

The formation-flying aerial acrobats that make up the Aero Shell T-6 Team are also on tap to perform. Carnley said he doesn’t expect that the event will get all 32 planes but hopes to get upwards of 20 of the vintage flyers.

“We’ll probably lose some and if the weather is bad then we could lose all of them,” he said. “It all depends on the weather, but if we end up with 22 to 24 planes, it’s going to be a heck of a show.”

The planes are traveling to Destin from places like Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico, Indiana, Texas, Alabama and various parts of Florida including Miami, Ocala and Punta Gorda.

Carnley said he knows most, if not all, of the pilots coming into town for the event and said those attending will not leave disappointed. “All of the guys coming in are accomplished pilots, and they are donating their time, their effort, and their money,” he said. “Just in fuel, it will probably cost them a minimum of $150 an hour.”

The public is invited to come out to the airport to get an up-close look at the vintage warbirds and other planes. Carnley said pilots will be taking up 20 students from the Embry-Riddle programs at Choctawhatchee and Crestview high schools, as well as members of the 53rd Wing from Eglin Air Force Base.

Among the sponsors of the event are Keith Howard and the Howard Group, Rick Olson and Olson and Associates, Peter Bos and the Emerald Grande, Quality Imports, Tim McDonald of Fort Walton Machining, Steve Mitchell, Newman-Dailey Resort Properties, East Pass Realty, Beach Community Park and the Destin Fire Control District, which has agreed to have a firetruck at the event in case of emergency.

The event really couldn’t go on without the help of Miracle Strip Aviation, Carnley said. The airport has agreed to help the event with parking, have a mechanic on hand if needed and donate fuel. The planes will be at the airport from Thursday through Sunday.

Published on Wednesday, November 28, 2007