CAPE REGIONAL AIR FESTIVAL JULY 8 AND 9 TO FEATURE WEALTH OF WAR PLANES

Flying at speeds up to 300 mph, Formula One racing planes are expected to add some excitement to the third annual Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival.

The event will be held July 8 and 9 at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport. Gates will open at 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. The main show starts at 2 p.m. both days with special events and demonstrations planned throughout the weekend.

About 10,000 people are expected at the show, whose theme will be "Heroes and Legends: A century of U.S. air dominance."

The 2000 show will have just as much of the thrills and excitement of past shows if not more, said Bruce Loy, airport manager.

Events include:

* The 69th Battalion will re-enact a Vietnam rescue mission complete with explosive pyrotechnics. A second act will use a Mohawk and A-37 tactical jet.

* The Dawn Patrol will fly in European Neuport plane replicas to show how U.S. pilots fought dropping bombs to strike the enemy.

* A host of World War I and World War II war planes will be on display. A re-enactment of World War II bombing runs is expected. U.S. Air Force F-16 planes and U.S. Navy F-18s will also be on hand for demonstrations.

* The U.S. Army Golden Knights will parachute and perform skydiving formations.

* Formula One Air Racers will zoom through the sky about 50 feet above ground in a race around an oval track.

Someone has to stand underneath the planes "to keep them honest," Loy said. The judge stands beneath the planes, which fly low, to make sure that the pilots don't "cut" around the track, he said.

The general race format is eight laps on a three-mile oval track. Laps can be completed in about 45 seconds at such top speeds.

* Jimmy Franklin, who was voted the 1999 Entertainer of the Year by the International Council of Air Shows, will also be on hand with his wing-walking act. Franklin also performed at last year's show.

* The Dodge Ram Jet will make a comeback at the air festival. The jet-propelled truck will be joined by a jet-propelled motorcycle billed as a "2000 horsepower jet propelled Harley Davidson."

Paul Stender, who owns the Dodge Ram, also has a jet-propelled four-wheeler and other "fast-paced toys," Loy said.

While there are events and activities planned throughout the day, the air festival hopes to "deal with the history of aircraft as it relates to wars," Loy said.

Wars have been the main impetus for creating better aircraft technology, he said. Several World War I and World War II replica planes and aircraft will be on display at the airfield.

Volunteers are still needed for the air festival to help with ticket sales or setup and clean up after the event. For information or to sponsor the show, call Loy at 334-6230.