Model Aircraft Flight at the 30th Anniversary Celebration of JU-AIR

Under sunny skies and pleasantly warm temperatures, 3,000 enthusiastic visitors turned out. The organizers had done very little to promote the event beforehand and were now quite overwhelmed by the large turnout.

Three of the four “old ladies” took the audience on several sightseeing flights, which were very popular. The fourth aircraft was open for curious visitors to tour on the tarmac. As an additional attraction for children, there was a booth featuring a drawing contest and a workshop for building a sturdy foam glider. Unfortunately, this activity sold out quickly, as even the model builders from MG Dübendorf hadn’t anticipated such a huge turnout.

Many viewers probably asked themselves that question. Because in between the takeoffs and landings of the passenger planes, the following flew in turn:

Four JU-52 model airplanes also flew over the festival grounds. With their highly realistic appearance, they puzzled some spectators. The largest model even had three Moki radial engines, whose sound was every bit as impressive as that of the engines on their real-life counterparts. The models took off out of sight and only reappeared at a considerable altitude, flying over the roofs of the hangars in front of them. An air show where the originals and their replica models take turns appearing in the sky is likely a rare sight indeed. More photos are available online at www.telesys.ch.

Hermann Mettler