The heritage flight program is a very good way of remembering the history and heritage of aircraft (usually fighters) used in aviation campaigns of the past, and pairing them with a more modern day aircraft that remain useful for today’s military.
The community of Ottumwa Iowa has a long history in aviation, with the airport serving as one of the locations for a Naval Air Station, which saw thousands of cadets receive flight training, in preparation for WWII combat assignments. The old NAS building is still there, and is being renovated, which is great news. Preserving the history of places like this is just a good thing.
In this shot, taken at the 2018 Ottumwa Airshow, the WWII P-51 Mustang is paired with an A10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft. The flight made several different passes and various angles, but I really liked this overhead pass the best. I also ended up choosing to print this in black and white…partly due to the challenging light conditions of the day, and in part with respect to the vintage aircraft involved in the flight. We are fortunate that dedicate people keep these aircraft flying.