What If? Episode 907

International Fly-In

From Logan and Scott's rented cabin they watched as aircraft gathered day by day for the airshow. It was massive and the young man was wide eyed more and more every day as various military aircraft and experimental planes flew overhead, gathering for the show.

To Logan's amusement, the kid was picking out many of them as they flew past, excited for most of the warbirds. But Scott was impressed when the day before they were set to go, Logan tipped his head to the side for a moment and just smirked. "Look to the north west," he said, tipping his chin that way. "You should see the Dakota coming in soon."

Scott shook his head to start with but did exactly that, watching the skies - straining to see it. "I think you're hearing things," Scott said, turning his way for a moment. "And besides there's no way you could ..."

Just then the sound of an old two prop plane reached Scott's ears and his eyes widened as he turned to see the silver fuselage in the distance. "Give him the night to settle in," Logan said. "Chances are he was just finishing up a guide run up north before he left. We'll catch him before the big rush happens."

Scott could hardly sleep the night before the airshow. And he was up bright and early and raring to go, which had Logan shaking his head at the kids' enthusiasm- particularly when Scott all but wolfed down breakfast and was bouncing his foot waiting for Logan to get done with his coffee.

Even for as early in the day as it was, Scott was amazed as he watched the planes circling the airport overhead. As far as he could see, he was spotting a glimmer of glass or a flash of paint all around them. The two of them paid at the gate and as soon as they were past it - there were airplanes as far as the eye could see of all different kinds. Scott just stood there to take it in for a moment until Logan stopped a short distance ahead of him and turned to wait for him.

"You want to go straight to the warbirds?"

"Please!" Scott said with a broad grin as he rushed ahead, following Logan's pointed directions every time they hit a cross road. As they hit the Warbirds section, Scott just had to stop as the first plane nearest the road was a P-51 Mustang, shimmering silver in the warm morning light. He was grinning widely as they made their way much slower through the collection of old military crafts.

Scott was in love. Each and every one of the planes out on the grass was operational and flight worthy - and just knowing that they were threre - ready to go was just ... he couldn't stop smiling.

A pocket of WWII planes gave way to a small section of Vietnam era craft and it wasn't too far beyond the fighters that they finally spotted the small collection of bombers. Before Scott could really take them in though, someone called out to them.

"Logan! Taking in the sights are you? Feeling nostalgic?" A tall native american man with long hair asked with a grin before he waved them over. "Come on, I got something for you in the Dakota!"

Logan waved back at him and turned to Scott. "You ready to check out the cockpit?"

Scott was beaming and almost bouncing in place as the two of them made their way over to Harry. When they reached him, Harry barely looked Scott's way before he ruffled his hair and stepped back so the kid could investigate.

While Logan and Harry chatted under the wing, Scott climbed in and made his way up to the cockpit, grinning broadly at the old instrument panel. Everything was pristine, impeccably cared for - the paint even looked new. He cautiously ran his finger over the altimeter and the artificial horizon then sat down in the pilot's seat. He reached up and took the yoke in his hands and just grinned.

Of course, he couldn't reach the pedals that controlled the rudder - though he could see the wear on them from where Harry's tall 6'1" frame operated the whole she-bang.