RE-ENACTMENT HELPS WRAP UP CAPE AIR SHOW

Success was in the air at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport.

The Heroes and Legends air show over the weekend drew 9,000 to 10,000 people, said Bruce Loy, the city's airport director.

"We feel it went exceptionally well," Loy said. "This has just been an exceptional show for us."

Loy said a combination of the good weather and the World War II theme of the event probably helped boost attendance from last year's 7,500-8,000.

"The veterans really expressed their appreciation with the re-enactments," he said. "There's hardly been a negative thing said."

Spectators enjoyed themselves in the sun Sunday, craning their necks to see the aircraft flying overhead and watch a re-enactment of the attack on Pearl Harbor with Japanese and American fighter planes.

Jeff Pulley said he liked the fighter planes, but was really partial to the Dodge RamJet, the world's most powerful sports truck, capable of reaching speeds up to 300 mph.

As an employee of Auffenberg Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge in Cape Girardeau, he got to ride in the vehicle.

"Just the pure speed and power in it was neat," he said. "We hit about 250 mph."

Pulley was enjoying the show with his girlfriend, Tina Hobbs, and said he'd been there both days and last year.

"Look at that," he said as an F-18 Hornet flew in a circle overhead. "It's amazing. It's going straight up."

Ron and Leeann Kelly also enjoyed the Hornet, as well as the other naval aircraft. Ron is in the Naval Reserves, and said he missed most of last year's show because he was helping put on a barbecue with other Navy members.

"This year, the other guys have to cook, and I don't," he said. "I'm getting to enjoy a lot more of it this year."

The Kellys' daughter, 3-year-old Madison, also took in some of the events planned for children.

"I got soaked," Madison said of the water slide.

Don Painton of Oran, Mo., and his son, Marcus, enjoyed the view of the planes from beneath the shade provided by a wing of a display plane.

"I think it's great," Painton said. "We love aircraft. It's great the city went to this much trouble."

Loy said they had a scary moment when one of the fuel trucks had a short in the wiring and caught on fire. However, he said, the truck wasn't near any spectators, and the fire was quickly put out.

"It was scary at first, though," he said. "It made a lot of smoke."