A World War I throwback, a Sopwith Camel in pursuit of a Fokker Dr.I Triplane.
Framed by trees encircling the turf aerodrome, an elliptical segment of blue sky formed an aerial arena in which a pair of airborne combatants flitted. On closer examination, they resolved into World War I anachronisms, a Fokker Dr.I Triplane ("Dreidecker") hunted by a faster Sopwith Camel. The pursuer's 160 horsepower Gnome rotary engine growled distinctively, the mass of its improbably whirling nine cylinders gyroscopically imparting unnatural agility to the wood and fabric aircraft. Though renowned for its maneuverability, the Triplane struggled to pull away from the Camel, fighting against the fundamental drag of its triple tiered wings. The year was 2024, but those aerial knights piloted steeds whose original designs first emerged from draftsmen's tables over a century earlier. This is the magic of Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, the Hudson Valley's temporal anomaly.
Return to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
Date
Aircraft
Route of Flight
Time (hrs)
Total (hrs)
22 Sep 2024
N21481
SDC (Sodus, NY) - 20N (Kingston, NY) - SDC
3.7
2916.2
My first visit to Cole Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome was in 2019 ("Jurassic Airpark"). Created in 1960, there is no place on Earth quite like it. With a collection seeded by purchase of six WWI era aircraft from the former Roosevelt Field where Charles Lindbergh launched on his historic flight to Paris, ORA is a tribute to founder Cole Palen's (1925-1993) fervent belief that an airplane is only an airplane if it still flies. Palen brought these orphaned aircraft to a former farm in the Hudson Valley, site of an unsolved murder that made it available at a bargain basement price. Naming it Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome (ORA), Palen built a turf runway and got those old airplanes flying again. Over time, he built an extensive flying menagerie. In cases where he could not locate a desired aircraft model, Palen and his craftsmen became known the world over for their exacting reproductions, many of them flying behind period-appropriate vintage engines. ORA has been putting up weekend airshows since its opening, currently running every Saturday and Sunday from June through October. It is one of the few places where one can see and hear authentic pioneer, golden age, and WWI era aircraft take to the sky driven by authentic powerplants, particularly those rare rotary engines.
Mark, Noah, and Chris en route to Old Rhinebeck.
Our last visit was in 2022 when the Williamson Flying Club and I came for the World War I Dogfight Spectacular show ("The Dreaded Black Baron of Old Rhinebeck"). Unfortunately, that airshow was cut short by a landing accident ending with a bruised pilot and a Fleet Model 1 biplane on its back in the middle of ORA's turf runway. The promise of a World War I dogfight did not come to pass that day.
As a result, I found myself flying over the Catskill Mountains once again on September 22, 2024 inbound for the Kingston-Ulster Airport near ORA. With me in Warrior 481 were my friend Mark, who joined me for the last excursion to ORA and also sought closure from the aborted airshow, and Noah, a new student pilot with the Williamson Flying Club making his first cross country trip by general aviation aircraft.
In trail was Randal, a relatively new private pilot at the controls of Warrior Eight One Six. He was joined by two friends. Last to arrive were Shalom, Orna, and Gilead in Shalom's Cirrus SR-22. Missing that morning was Mike A, who originally organized the trip, but a death in his family led to me taking over responsibility for coordination.
Along the way, we were treated to an eye-catching, but benign atmosphere.
Randal arrives at the Kingston-Ulster Airport in Warrior Eight One Six.
Because of its short, lumpy, grass field surrounded by tall trees, I have never been tempted to try landing at ORA in Warrior 481. Instead, we flew to nearby Kingston-Ulster Airport (20N) about seven miles west of ORA. Cell signal in the area is dodgy, making it difficult to hail an Uber or Lyft. Our secret weapon for ground transportation was Joe, a club member who lives nearby and owns a twelve passenger van. For the second time, Joe and his wife Pam graciously met us at the airport and ferried us to ORA. As airplane enthusiasts themselves, Joe and Pam joined us for the show.
Shalom's Cirrus at the Kingston-Ulster fuel pump.
Once all three airplanes were parked, those of us who flew in posed with Shalom's Cirrus before finding Joe and Pam for a ride to ORA.
The Old Airplanes Retirement Home
Cole Palen's vision for ORA did not favor static display aircraft as found in most museums. However, some airplanes are sufficiently fragile or rare that they are stored under roof on static display either in comfort at the main museum building or in slightly more rustic conditions in three Quonset huts.
1909 Bleriot XI (original).
A current resident of the museum is this original French-built 1909 Bleriot XI serial number 56. Powered by a 35 horsepower three cylinder Anzani radial engine, this airplane is considered the oldest still flying in the United States (despite the fact that it is temporarily not flying). Cole Palen acquired the Bleriot in 1952 and had it flying by 1954, six years before founding ORA. It has been a star of ORA's airshows for decades and likely will be again once its restoration is complete. Louis Bleriot made history with the Bleriot XI design on July 25, 1909 when he became the first to fly a powered aircraft across the 22-mile wide English Channel.
Close-up of 70 horsepower Gnome rotary on an original 1911 Bleriot XI.
Owing to the success of the Bleriot XI design, two Long Island, NY companies -- Moisant and the American Aeroplane Supply House -- were mass producing them under license by 1911. One of these, an original 1911 American Aeroplane Supply House Bleriot XI also lives at ORA, this one a "cross country" version powered by a more powerful 70 horsepower Gnome rotary engine. This aircraft is permanently grounded due to damage to its rare rotary engine.
I love the symmetry of this French-designed 1917 Clerget rotary engine built in London by Gwynnes Ltd. These 130 horsepower engines were used to power Sopwith Camels among other World War I aircraft.
Superficially, rotary and more conventional radial engines appear quite similar. Both involve an odd number of air-cooled cylinders arranged in a single plane around a circular crankcase. Despite their similarities at first glance, these engines are radically different. The entire rotary engine spins around a fixed shaft whereas radial engines were fixed in place and spun a driveshaft that turned the propeller. Heavy rotary engines spinning on the front of relatively lightweight wood and fabric aircraft created gyroscopic forces that gave rotary powered fighters unusual handling properties.
1915 Nieuport 10 (original).
ORA's Nieuport 10 is an original, French-built 1915 fighter powered by an 80 horsepower Le Rhone rotary (above). Once owned by WWI French ace Charles Nungesser, this rare airplane flew at ORA from 1987-1990 before Cole Palen retired it to the museum.
Ancient engines are tucked among the aircraft on display. I did not capture enough information about this liquid-cooled V8 engine to identify it, but nonetheless found it to be eye catching.
1917 Morane-Saulnier A-I (original).
Also on display is an original French 1917 Morane-Saulnier A-I powered by a 160 horsepower Gnome rotary engine. Cole Palen restored it in 1985 and it flew at ORA airshows for many years before retirement to the museum. It is one of two A-Is in existence in the United States.
Rotary power.
Radial power.
Antique cars are also part of the collection and often have starring roles in weekend airshows. This 1912 Hupmobile is an example.
What caught my eye about the Hupmobile was the elaborate horn mechanism. Ah-ooo-gah!
Roughin' It Quonset Style
Outside the comparatively luxurious accommodations of the museum are three Quonset huts literally packed with aircraft.
1935 Barrel Plane (original).
This is an authentic 1935 barrel plane. Sure, it does not fly anymore, but it is every bit as capable an aircraft as it was at the time of its creation.
230 horsepower Salmson radial engine on a 1927 Morane-Saulnier MS.130 (original).
1917 Royal Aircraft CompanyS.E.5a (reproduction).
In his memoir Sagittarius Rising, British World War I ace Cecil Lewis highly praised the Royal Aircraft Factory's S.E.5a. "The squadron was to be equipped with the SE5, the last word in fighting-scouts, turned out by the Royal Aircraft Factory… The machine (for 1917) was quite fast. It would do about a hundred and twenty on the level and climb ten thousand feet in twelve minutes. It could be looped and rolled and dived vertically without breaking up. Altogether it was a first-class fighting-scout (probably the most successful designed during the war), and was relied upon to reestablish the Allied air supremacy lost during the winter.”
Though lesser known than the Sopwith Camel, the legacy of the S.E.5a may have been completely different had Charles Schulz put Snoopy at the controls of a doghouse S.E.5a instead of a doghouse Camel.
1917 Royal Aircraft CompanyS.E.5a (reproduction).
This reproduction was obtained by ORA in 2013 and is currently under restoration. It must have been lurking elsewhere on our previous visits to ORA because this was my first time seeing it in a Quonset hut.
1914 Morane-Saulnier N (reproduction).
From my perspective, this reproduction of a 1914 Morane-Saulnier N "Bullet" wins the brute force engineering award for the ORA collection. Considered by some to be the earliest truly modern fighter aircraft, the sleek monoplane was the first equipped with a forward firing machine gun. Predating the synchronization gear that prevented fighter pilots from shooting their own propellers, triangular steel blades on the back of the wooden propeller served to deflect any bullets capable of striking it. It was an inelegant, but evidently effective engineering solution to the problem.
1914 Caudron G.III (reproduction).
1914 Caudron G.III (reproduction).
A contemporary of the 1914 Morane-Saulnier N, the Caudron G.III was an open frame biplane that used wing warping for roll control. Quickly outclassed as a fighter, it was relegated to observation and flight training roles. Powered by an original 80 horsepower Le Rhone rotary, this reproduction flew at ORA until 2019 when a piston cracked. It awaits an engine repair and new fabric skin.
Pioneer engines, including a "featherweight" (yeah, right) built in Rochester, NY.
Main Street Old Rhinebeck
The center of focus, the beating heart of Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, is the 2200 foot long grass runway with the flightline arranged alongside that provided a preview of what we would see during the airshow.
1934 De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth (original).
The De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth served capably during World War II as a primary trainer for Canadian and British pilots.
A Bristol F.2B (reproduction) and 1917 Sopwith Camel (reproduction).
Although I chose not to attempt the grass runway at ORA, the owner of this landing Cessna 120 had no such qualms.
The New Standard for Hopping Rides
1929 New Standard D-25 (original).
The hardest working aircraft on the whole darn field is this original 1929 New Standard D-25 biplane that hops rides all day long, both before and after the airshow. Designed by Charles Day, the airplane was specifically built for giving rides to as many as four passengers.
1929 New Standard D-25 (original).
When not landing or taking off, the New Standard was a constant presence in the sky over ORA.
1929 New Standard D-25 (original).
1929 New Standard D-25 (original).
1929 New Standard D-25 (original).
1929 New Standard D-25 (original).
Meet the Airshow Cast
Aircraft positioned along the flightline were staged there specifically for the airshow.
1930 Fleet Model 1 (original).
I was particularly gratified to see the 1930 Fleet Model 1 back on the flightline. It was the airplane that went up on its nose during the 2022 airshow we attended and brought a premature end to ORA's flying for the day. Behind the Fleet is a 1925 Ford Model T pickup truck converted for use as a fuel truck by ORA to refuel aircraft on the flightline.
1930 Fleet Model 1 (original).
Fully repaired, the Fleet stood ready to perform. The biplane flies behind a 110 horsepower Warner Scarab radial engine. This Fleet is painted in the markings of a Naval N2Y-1 version that would have been equipped with hooks to catch a trapeze suspended from airships serving as a air-going aircraft carriers. As steampunk as that sounds, seven N2Y-1 airplanes were actually built for this purpose and successfully demonstrated aboard airships USS Macon and USS Akron.
1943 Boeing Stearman Kaydet N2S-5 (original).
During World War II, the Stearman served as a primary trainer for most American military pilots. Like the Fleet Model 1, this airplane is an incredibly modern design compared to most of the aircraft featured at ORA. This beautiful example flies behind a 225 horsepower Lycoming R-680-4P-B4 radial.
1931 Great Lakes (reproduction).
Designed as sport airplanes in the 1930s, modern builds of Great Lakes biplanes can still be bought new from WACO Aircraft in Battle Creek, MI. This particular version was homebuilt from a kit.
1917 Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny" (original).
A simple biplane embodies one of the most impactful American aircraft designed during the Great War. Created by Finger Lakes native Glenn Curtiss, the JN-4 "Jenny" taught World War I airmen to fly. After the war, bargain-basement deals on Jennys resulted in their prolific use as barnstormers. While most Jennys were powered by Curtiss' OX-5 engine, upgrading to a 180 horsepower Hispano-Suiza powerplant delivered higher performance. Per ORA, this is one of only three "Hisso" powered Jennys still flying in the world today. (The "H" suffix on the model number refers to the Hisso option.)
1911 Curtiss Pusher Model D (reproduction).
Years before producing the Jenny, Glenn Curtiss established himself as a key pioneering aviator. In an effort to sidestep the Wright Brothers' patent on wing warping, Curtiss implemented ailerons as a practical solution for roll control that are still used by most modern aircraft. The Curtiss Pusher was one of his early designs.
Original OX-5 engine mounted on a 1911 Curtiss Pusher Model D (reproduction).
Curtiss started as an engine designer and his OX-5 V8 liquid cooled engines were ubiquitous during the pioneer era. Though hardly renowned for reliability, it was the first mass produced American aircraft engine with 12,600 units produced between 1917 and 1919.
Circa 1917 Bristol F.2B (reproduction)
An interesting design feature of the Bristol F.2B is that the fuselage is suspended between the wings, which gave it an undeserved reputation for fragility. Over time, the design proved itself effective, staying in production from 1917 to 1926 and remaining in service until 1932.
Circa 1917 Bristol F.2B (reproduction)
Try as I might, I could not recognize the gunner.
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
Produced between 1916 and 1918, the Sopwith Pup was a well-regarded fighter aircraft known for its capable performance and docile flight characteristics. This reproduction pup boasts an original 80 horsepower Le Rhone rotary powerplant. It was built by Dick King at ORA in 1967 and routinely dueled against Cole Palen's Black Baron of Rhinebeck for 21 years before King sold it to the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Maine. It returned to ORA in 2018 and made its flying debut in 2019 after restoration by Brian Coughlin. In fact, I was present for the first ground run of this airplane in 2019. It was the first rotary engine I ever saw run.
Built by ORA's Brian Coughlin, this Fokker D.VIII fighter represents a late WWI development that boasted tremendous speed as a monoplane. Original D.VIIIs would have been powered by German-built Oberusel Ur.III rotary engines. While period appropriate, this D.VIII blurs national borders somewhat by flying with a 160 horsepower Gnome rotary engine.
1918 Fokker D.VII (reproduction).
Fokker's mighty D.VII was so feared during World War I that all examples had to be surrendered by Germany under the terms of the Armistice. This reproduction is equipped with an original 200 horsepower Mercedes D.III in-line six-cylinder liquid cooled engine.
1917 Fokker Dr.I (reproduction).
One of the most iconic fighter airplanes of World War I, Fokker's Dr.I ("Driedecker" or "Triplane") was renowned for its maneuverability and climb rate, if not its speed. The plane is most associated with Manfred von Richtofen or the "Red Baron", Germany's feared ace who ultimately perished at the age of 25 during combat in his distinctive red Dr.I.
Anthony Fokker was inspired to design the Dr.I by Sopwith's short lived Triplane. (Only 147 Sopwith Triplanes were built.) In his memoir Sagittarius Rising, British ace Cecil Lewis gushes about Sopwith's "Tripe", saying "Of all machines, the Triplane remains in my memory as the best -- for the actual pleasure of flying -- that I ever took up. It was so beautifully balanced, so well-mannered, so feather-light on the stick, and so comfortable and warm."
Because no examples of Fokker's Dr.I survived to the modern era, all aircraft existing today are reproductions. This particular replica was built by ORA's Brian Coughlin and completed in 2023. Lacking a German-built rotary engine to power it, Coughlin used a modern 160 horsepower radial Lycoming.
New Kid in Town
1917 Fokker D.VI (reproduction).
I spotted something new incongruously placed in the Curtiss hangar. The Fokker D.VI design is a hybrid descended from greatness that blended the fuselage and empennage of the Dr.I with scaled down wings from a D.VII. First flown in 1918, only 59 D.VIs were ever produced. Although it was a highly successful design, most resources so late in the war were devoted to building the time tested D.VII.
1917 Fokker D.VI (reproduction).
This exacting reproduction was completed in 1998 and only flown 25 hours before it was sold to ORA in 2024. It truly is the new kid on the block.
Nice kitty. 1917 Fokker D.VI (reproduction).
Markings on ORA's D.VI pay homage to Bavarian pilot Lt. Kurt Seit. And just look at that beautiful prop!
Warner Scarab radial on ORA's reproduction 1917 Fokker D.VI.
In lieu of an authentic Oberusel rotary (a German copy of the French-built Le Rhone), ORA's D.VI is equipped with a 145 horsepower Warner Scarab radial.
Hometown Roots
1927 Stinson SM-1 "Detroiter" (original).
As a native of metropolitan Detroit, how could I resist an airplane called the "Detroiter"? This 1927 SM-1 "Detroiter" was built in Stinson's Detroit plant and eventually donated to ORA in 2023. With a passenger capacity of six, the airplane was popular with early airlines Braniff, Delta, and Northwest, though it was also an effective freight hauler.
1927 Stinson SM-1 "Detroiter" (original).
I was pleased to see this Detroiter outfitted with the same Garmin transponder that I installed in Warrior 481, though it is discretely mounted beneath the instrument panel where it intrudes less on the vintage panel aesthetic.
1927 Stinson SM-1 "Detroiter" (original).
Lycoming radial on the 1927 Stinson SM-1 "Detroiter" (original).
This Detroiter is equipped with a 300 horsepower Lycoming R-680, an upgrade from the original 220 horsepower Wright J-5 Whirlwind radial originally fitted to the airframe by Stinson.
Evergreen
As an operation that flies ancient aircraft, something is almost always under restoration at ORA.
1910 Hanriot (reproduction).
For example, what looks like a racing skiff with a big kickstand is actually the fuselage of a 1974 reproduction Hanriot design from circa 1910. From today's perspective, the Hanriot controls were non-standard; the right stick controlled pitch and the left controlled roll via wing warping. Cracks in the wooden structure necessitated a significant rebuild since I last saw this airplane fly in 2019.
1910 Hanriot (reproduction).
1917 Fokker Dr.I (reproduction).
Next to the Hanriot, one of four reproduction Fokker Dr.I Triplanes on the field was undergoing wing maintenance and, as such, temporarily existed as a "Doppeldecker" (biplane").
Big Ass Fans: say what you do and do what you say.
This rotary engine was built up on a test stand and I wondered which aircraft it would someday power.
It is difficult not to appreciate the symmetrical, mechanical beauty of the anachronistic rotary engine.
Ground Cover
Various period ground vehicles play roles during weekend airshows, from the 1925 Ford Model T fuel truck to the 1916 Studebaker Touring Car favored by the vile Black Baron of Rhinebeck and his minions.
We saw a 1917 Columbia Ambulance and a Ford F-150 pickup truck parked together. One of these is an obvious anachronism. The problem with Old Rhinebeck is that, given the setting, I am not sure which one.
1918 M1917 Light Tank (original).
M1917 tanks were license-built American versions of the French Renault FT tank.
1911 Baker Electric (original).
Long before Tesla came on the scene (the car company, not the inventor), Cleveland's Baker Motor Vehicle Company was building electric cars in 1911. Electric cars were clean, quiet, easy to start (no cranking!), and did not require handling gasoline. They enjoyed a surge of popularity from 1910 to 1915 before being supplanted by faster, more powerful gasoline powered cars. Restoration of this Baker Electric was completed in 2022.
Comparatively Modern
Rather than beginning with the most ancient aircraft in the collection, the airshow started with comparatively high tech aircraft from the 1930s.
Most of the aircraft at ORA do not have electrical systems, so takeoffs and landings are coordinated by visual signals from the tower rather than radio.
1930 Fleet Model 1 (original).
1943 Boeing Stearman N2S-5 Kaydet (original).
1934 De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth (original).
We sat on improvised benches along the runway watching the biplane brigade taxi for departure. Because of shifting winds, runway direction changed later in the airshow.
I watched the Fleet Model 1 land with bated breath, but the landing was perfect and the show continued on afterward. Mark and I exchanged satisfied glances when the airshow progressed beyond the point where it halted in 2022.
1934 De Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth (original).
The Ruse
A classic trope at airshows is the "flying farmer" routine whereby a series of convoluted events places a newbie bumpkin alone in an airplane. Said inexperienced rube proceeds to make a reckless takeoff, veering wildly all over the runway only to acquit himself magnificently because, of course, the backwoods lout is actually an accomplished aerobatic pilot.
Don't try that at home.
In a completely unrelated occurrence, we witnessed something pretty special. During a lull in the show, we were introduced to this fellow, "the oldest living barnstormer in the United States" who just happened to be visiting that day. He's one hundred years old, everyone! Isn't that great? How about a round of applause? And -- would you believe it folks? -- he once owned a Great Lakes biplane just like the one at ORA!
1931 Great Lakes (reproduction).
Wouldn't it be fun to put the old timer back into a Great Lakes just like the one he once barnstormed across the country in? Oh, the nostalgia!
ORA dutifully trundled their reproduction 1931 Great Lakes biplane out to the flightline to meet the aged aviator.
1931 Great Lakes (reproduction).
Huh. Now that was interesting. It would seem that the ORA pilot left the engine running while he climbed out to assist the wizened guest. That was an odd choice on behalf of the pilot, but surely it's all fine.
1931 Great Lakes (reproduction).
Oh no! Where is he going?! Surely our 100 year old barnstormer doesn't mean to take off by himself in the Great Lakes?!
1931 Great Lakes (reproduction).
He's at full takeoff power and he's got the tail up! What is happening?!
1931 Great Lakes (reproduction).
Our centenarian pilot proceeded to execute a masterful aerobatic routine in the Great Lakes.
1931 Great Lakes (reproduction).
Well, shucks, folks. That was just a little ruse. He's not 100 years old at all! Sometimes, the "flying farmer" routine is carried off even without involvement from a purported farmer.
Where the Drama Is Just So...Dramatic!
ORA serves up every airshow with a heaping side of corny melodrama.
First we have Percy, the obligatory (and somewhat dim) hero. At his side is Trudy Truelove his...erm...true love.
Luke Skywalker has Han Solo. Percy has Pierre Loop De Loop, the best pilot in all of France. Just look at all of those medals! There is no analogy for a Wookiee copilot at ORA.
Naturally, there is a nemesis: the cartoonishly evil Black Baron of Rhinebeck, seen here fleeing the scene after sabotaging Percy's 1919 Ford Model T Speedster with a bomb stolen right out of a Looney Tunes short. (It might as well be stamped with ACME.)
Like every true villain, the Black Baron of Rhinebeck has minions. Think Biff Tannen ("What are you looking at, butthead?"), Harmony Kendall ("Harmony has minions?"), and Felonius Gru ("I don't go to little girls' dance recitals!").
It does not give away much of the story to divulge that Trudy Truelove falls into the Black Baron's evil clutches. That is more or less preordained.
Bombs hurled from overhead airplanes somehow always hit their mark even when the physical projectiles don't.
I don't want to give away the story, but all good melodramas must come to a definitive end.
Curtiss' Legacy
1911 Curtiss Pusher Model D (reproduction).
In between the melodrama, the aerial derring-do of pilots flying World War I aircraft, and phony ancient aviators, we enjoyed a demonstration of pioneer era flying featuring this Curtiss Pusher. ORA does not fly their pioneer era aircraft above the treetops, but the Pusher climbed out of ground effect and flew along the runway before setting back to the turf at the far end.
1911 Curtiss Pusher Model D (reproduction).
After the flight, the pilot gave a demonstration of the Pusher's decidedly non-conventional controls. The only thing standard here is that pushing fore and aft on the controls operates the elevator. However, turning the wheel actuates the rudder (instead of the ailerons). Roll control via ailerons is accomplished by leaning into the shoulder yoke as demonstrated in the picture above. Leaning to roll into a turn probably made a lot of sense to a motorcycle guy like Curtiss, but would surely challenge the muscle memory of any pilot educated from World War I onward.
1917 Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny" (original).
I am delighted every time I witness this original 1917 Curtiss Jenny take to the air. At some point in the show, the Black Baron absconds with Trudy Truelove in the Jenny. "Trudy" can be seen hanging on for dear life in the above photo before suddenly falling to earth. Don't worry folks, Trudy is fine!
1917 Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny" (original).
1917 Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny" (original).
1917 Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny" (original).
ORA's Jenny is a beautifully crafted icon of a bygone era in aviation.
The Great War
What I most wanted to see were World War I fighters sharing the skies. ORA did not disappoint.
1918 Fokker D.VII (reproduction).
Considered the most deadly of Germany's World War I fighters, it was a thrill to see the D.VII take to the sky behind its original Mercedes D.III inline engine. The airplane was down for engine work on our previous visits and this was our first time seeing it fly.
1918 Fokker D.VII (reproduction).
Its ability to "hang on its prop" and achieve incredible vertical penetration were put on display as ORA wrung impressive performance from the World War I Fokker design.
1918 Fokker D.VII (reproduction).
1918 Fokker D.VII (reproduction).
1918 Fokker D.VII (reproduction).
The Fokker D.VII put on an impressive solo routine that spoke highly of the design's durability. The pilot pulled no punches in handling the archaic aircraft.
1917 SPAD VII (reproduction).
Next, a French-designed SPAD VII launched from the turf, now heading in the opposite direction due to a change in the wind.
1917 SPAD VII (reproduction).
1917 SPAD VII (reproduction).
1917 SPAD VII (reproduction).
1917 SPAD VII (reproduction).
1917 SPAD VII (reproduction).
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
Finally, it was time for ORA's radial-engined World War I warriors to take to the sky. Despite the airframes being reproductions, the Sopwith Camel flies behind an original 80 horsepower Le Rhone rotary engine and the Fokker D.VIII is powered by a 160 horsepower Gnome rotary engine.
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
1918 Fokker D.VIII (reproduction).
With Brian Coughlin at the controls, it was fascinating to watch the entire rotary engine spin up on the nose of the German fighter. Even with full intellectual awareness that the entire engine spins, it is still somewhat disorienting to actually witness.
1918 Fokker D.VIII (reproduction).
Because it lacks a proper throttle, engine speed is controlled by a "blip switch" that suspends ignition when pressed. The Fokker's appropriated Gnome rotary engine was undeniably the loudest thing on the field and, in moments of silence created every time the engine was blipped, the echo of the engine would crack across the airfield like a gunshot, reverberating from the trees surrounding Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.
The above video clip shows engine start and takeoff of the Sopwith Pup and Fokker D.VIII.
Circa 1917 Bristol F.2B (reproduction).
ORA's Bristol F.2B was neither on fire nor fitted with airshow smoke, that is just a coincidentally placed wisp of cloud.
The Final Battle
As its climactic engagement, ORA put the Sopwith Camel against the Fokker Dr.I; Snoopy against the Red Baron, Percy against his beloved-swiping nemesis.
1917 Fokker Dr.I (reproduction).
The Fokker Triplane launched first.
1917 Sopwith Camel (reproduction).
Moments later, the Sopwith Camel climbed into the air in hot pursuit. This camel was built at ORA between 1976 and 1992. It is powered by an original 160 horsepower Gnome rotary engine and flew in ORA's airshows until 2009. I saw the Camel on static display in ORA's Quonset huts in 2019 and 2022 as a work in progress and it returned to flying status in 2024.
1917 Sopwith Camel (reproduction) versus a 1917 Fokker Dr.I (reproduction).
The faster Sopwith closed the distance with the Fokker Triplane and ultimately emerged victorious. As a kid friendly show, the good guys have to win.
1917 Fokker Dr.I (reproduction).
1917 Sopwith Camel (reproduction).
Aftermath
We walked the flightline afterward to revisit the stars of the airshow.
Here, Pam, Joe, me, Gilead, Noah, and Mark posed with the dogfight's victor, the Sopwith Camel. But the real co-MVPs of the day were Pam and Joe for helping out with ground transportation between the Kingston-Ulster Airport and ORA.
1917 Fokker Dr.I (reproduction) and 1917 Fokker D.VI (reproduction).
Circa 1917 Bristol F.2B (reproduction).
From this angle, it is easy to see the unique way the Bristol F.2B's fuselage is suspended between the wings.
1917 Sopwith Camel (reproduction).
No longer pristine after its duel with the Fokker Dr.I,, oil streaking the Sopwith Camel's flanks clearly demonstrate how messy these old rotary engines can be.
1916 Sopwith Pup (reproduction).
In Memoriam
Brian Coughlin's reproduction 1918 Fokker D.VIII after the September 22, 2024 airshow.
For me, the fast, noisy, rotary-powered Fokker D.VIII with Brian Coughlin at the controls was one of the highlights of the airshow. Sadly, this aircraft caught fire and crashed during the Saturday airshow just two weeks later on October 5. Coughlin, its pilot and creator, did not survive. I did not know him personally, but I saw him fly and know that he was a master pilot, a prolific builder of aircraft, and integral to the heart and soul of Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome. I have since read many moving and inspirational tributes about Coughlin from those who knew him best. The anguished sense of loss within the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome community is palpable and I offer my genuine condolences.
Moody Mountains
Back in Joe and Pam's passenger van, we made our way out of the temporal bubble surrounding ORA and returned to the real world. Clouds had moved in over the Catskill Mountains, so I chose to fly north along the Hudson River Valley and only turned direct to home once the higher terrain melted back into the landscape southwest of Albany. There was no sense in getting pinched between the Catskills and the clouds on a direct route home.
A little weather en route home.
We landed at Sodus shortly after 7:00 pm after a very full day.
Take a collection of orphaned WWI airplanes, combine with an abandoned farm where an unsolved murder occurred, infuse massive amounts of passion for things that fly and the outcome is pure aeronautical magic and a place unlike any other. Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is an amazing place, one that is well worth visiting by aviation enthusiasts. Even though its light may be dimmed by recent tragedy, Cole Palen's vision lives on.
