Annual Smartt Field Open House Offers Family-Friendly Fun and Pumpkin Drop Competition

By Carmelo Turdo

The Annual Open House and Pumpkin Drop was held October 30 at St. Charles County (Smartt Field) Airport. The event, sponsored by St. Charles Flying Service, the Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force and Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 32, drew a record crowd despite the cold and overcast conditions that prevailed until the early afternoon. This year's event provided the expected flying excitement along with the EAA's food tent and new youth aviation activities provided by the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation.

The Aero Experience coverage begins on the west apron with the Missouri Wing of the Commemorative Air Force (CAF). They had an impressive display of World War II-era vehicles surrounding the airfield tower leading up to the hangar complex. The airport was originally a U.S. Navy flight training base, renamed in honor of Ensign Joseph Smartt who was killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and nearby airfields on December 7, 1941. Today, the CAF makes history come alive with their aircraft - Aeronca L-3E Lil' Show Me, Grumman (General Motors) TBM-3E Avenger and North American B-25J Mitchell Show Me - seen below on display and later in flight.   

Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 32 is also based at the airport, and they had educational displays in their hangar along with the very active food tent. There were aircraft parked on static display outside of their hangar and along the apron as well. EAA Chapter 32 holds monthly Young Eagle rallies throughout the year, giving youth aged 8-17 a flight experience in a general aviation aircraft. They also partner with local organizations throughout the area to provide youth aviation education and flight opportunities. Here we have a brief look at the EAA Chapter 32 display area.

Three helicopters were also on static display, situated on what remains of the previous runways in the open field. First to arrive was a BK-117B-2 air ambulance from Air Methods. Next was an MD-500E from the Metro Air Support Unit serving St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. Lastly, an OH-58A Kiowa from the Gateway Chapter of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation arrived to complete the trio. They were a popular stop as the crowd worked its way toward the fence line to observe the pumpkin drop and CAF aircraft flight demonstration.

A new feature of the Smartt Field Open House was the Youth Aviation Area display from the Gateway Youth Aeronautical Foundation. Based at nearby Creve Coeur Airport, the Foundation's mission is to inspire youth interest in aviation by providing an aviation experience that impacts a young person's life. In the display area, visitors boarded a fully-restored F-4 Phantom jet cockpit to view for themselves what a fighter pilot sees through the canopy. Young children had their own pumpkin drop game, throwing foam pumpkins from their pedal planes at a target before collecting their bag of candy. A lucky raffle ticket holder won a beautiful mahogany model aircraft, and many young people went home with a renewed interest in pursuing aviation.

Other exhibitors on the apron included displays from Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) and Wings of Hope. SIU School of Aviation offers degree programs in Aviation Management, Flight and Technology for those pursuing flight crew, maintenance and management tracks. Wings of Hope is the St. Louis-based global humanitarian organization that uses aviation to change and save lives around the world. They also serve those in need of air transportation for medical treatment in the U.S. with the Medical Relief and Air Transport Program. Also featured here is the band that kept us entertained on a cold and overcast Saturday.

The pumpkin drop was conducted throughout the morning, with intrepid crews splattering pumpkins along the far side of the runway on their way to the real target. High-wing Cessna aircraft circled the pattern for repeated runs as the morning drew on, and the judges measured off those few hits that came within the circle marked in the grass. The crowd moved closer to the fence line as noon approached, and the much-anticipated CAF bomber runs and flight demonstration thrilled everyone as they always do. Here we start with a sample of the contestants participating in the pumpkin drop. The results are as follows (St. Charles Flying Service):

The CAF bombers took to the skies at noon and repositioned for their bomb runs.

Then the B-25J Mitchell Show Me, crewed by Matthew Conrad, Pilot in Command, Pat Kesler, Second in Command, and Bombardier Charlie Finnegan, began a run on the target from the north. "We had a pretty good crosswind so we had to take that into consideration and move the approach line because the winds were coming out of the west," Conrad told The Aero Experience. Accurate assessment of the crosswind factor is critical, since the approach is calculated on pre-determined factors including altitude and airspeed along with the wind as the aircraft passes landmarks identified on the way to the release point.

"The Pilot in Command is in charge of flying the aircraft at the calculated speed and altitude and the Second in Command is charged with letting the Bombardier know when we are over the pre-calculated drop point," Conrad continued. "The the Bombardier pulls the rope and the pumpkins fall." 

That is how it worked on Show Me's first bomb run, resulting in a spread of pumpkins landing just short of, and then within, the target ring. 

(Larry Titchenal photo)

(Larry Titchenal photo)

The pumpkin drop results are a factor of flight crew skills along with careful preparation before takeoff. Conrad is quick to credit the ground crew for preparing the load and the drop system. Maintenance Officer Pat Fenwick was in charge of providing a mechanically sound and safe aircraft for the flight. Lou Tacchi was responsible for the pumpkin preparation, which includes curing the pumpkins and filling them with colored marking flour. Mark Statler is the primary designer of the PDD - the Pumpkin Deployment Device. Loading the pumpkins properly, and correctly arming the PDD for the Bombardier, can provide the edge for an accurate drop.

The defending bombing champs had their run in the TBM Avenger, commanded by pilot JP Mellor. Here we feature the TBM pumpkin drop and several fly-bys from both bombers before they returned for static display.

The 2021 Smartt Field Open House and Pumpkin Drop was a great success, and The Aero Experience thanks everyone who contributed to a fun and safe Midwest Aviation event. Click on the links above to learn more about each sponsor and participant, and please consider supporting their work now and in the coming year.