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History, Family, and a View From Above at the Air Show



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(Sacramento, CA)
Friday, September 9, 2011

The "Tora Tora Tora" show recreates the attack on Pearl Harbor…

Patrick Hutchins is the lead pilot. 

PATRICK HUTCHINS: "All these airplanes were built by 20th Century Fox to make the original movie Tora!Tora!Tora!  After the movie, they sold them to private collectors.  The Commemorative air force, which is formerly the Confederate Air Force based in Midland, Texas wound up with a group of these."

Patrick's dad, Charles bought one of these planes 35 years ago. He and the other owners fixed em up and started touring.  He is the bridge between those who first flew in battle and those who fly now.

CHARLES HUTCHINS: "I think the best part is realizing what we're doing in telling a history lesson.  And then meeting the people.  Of course, years ago, we met a lot of World War II guys and their families and they'd bring it out, thank us for showing it and their friends what it was like. Now, we're not seeing that many of them because there's not many left."

Charles is in his 70's now, but still flies 5 shows a year.

The two men are part of an air show that is celebrating 100 years of aviation this year.  One of the events this weekend will pair a modern f-18 fighter jet and one of only four, World War II era F-6-L Hellcats still flying
 
 
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