Wall of flame torches runway

A 15-story wall of flame nearly two miles long torched the runways at MCAS Yuma Saturday. Luckily for all concerned, it was planned and did not entail any catastrophic air to ground collisions.
 
The Wall of Flame was so big in fact, it actually broke a world record for a fire its size.
 
"All Guiness needs is documentation in the form of a video, a photo, and two affidavits attesting to it, and we are able to provide them," said Roger Lopez, an event organizer.
 
"We have broken it officially; more than broken it actually. The flame was 10,173.8 feet long."
 
The smoke from the burn was so thick it actually cast shade over the airfield and the thousands of spectators for several minutes.
 
The blazing inferno was the grand finale for a day filled with fantastic and daring flights by fearless aerobatic pilots, skydivers and military jet fighters.
 
A marine dropped the plunger setting off the charges as a flight of replica World War Two Japanese Zeros buzzed the runway. The Zeros, along with a few Kate Bombers, had just finished re-enacting the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, which they dubbed "Tora, Tora, Tora!"
 
"We are a group that is with the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) that came together about thirty years ago," said Mark Allen, a pilot in the CAF.
 
"We now have fifty people and fourteen airplanes, a pyrotechnic crew, and a narrator. We travel the country doing the re-enactment and do 15 shows a year.
 
"There are six planes in todays event. We have four replica Zeros, and two replica Kates, which are torpedo bombers. These airplanes were all in the movie 'Tora, Tora, Tora' in 1969."
 
According to Allen, MGM bought 50 airplanes to be filmed in the movie and converted them into Kates and Zeros.
 
Allen said the group does the demonstration for reasons besides fun.
 
"Our objective is to present a living history lesson. We want public awareness of America being attacked. This is so our kids can learn that America has been attacked and that we need to defend ourselves. This is also a tribute to the men and women in uniform."
 
Lead Pilot Jim Ryan also said they want to honor service members past and present.
 
"Twenty-five years ago I was flying for fun when I began meeting the veterans and heroes of World War II," said Ryan. "It became very important to remember their stories and sacrifices; especially the ones that never came home."
 
While some think the act is offensive and equate it to re-enacting the events on 9-11, Allen said it is done tastefully as a simple way to tell about an American event that had lasting repercussions throughout the world.
 
"Last year in Leathridge, Canada, we did the show," said Allen. "Leathridge is home to a large population of Japanese internment camp survivors, and they absolutely appreciated the show. They had no protest or qualms about us conducting the re-enactment, and if anyone would have had a problem, it would have been them."
 
In addition to vintage aircraft, several cutting-edge planes were doing loop-the-loops and dive-bombing the appreciative audience.
 
A pilot of one of these state-of-the-art planes, Melissa Andrzejewski, came to Yuma to show what she and her plane could do together.
 
"I flew for the U.S. Team when I was 22," said Andrzejewski, who is now 24. "I was the youngest female ever to make the team.
 
"I like sports that take years to master. It takes a long time and many hours to learn the many small building blocks that lead to becoming a great pilot."
 
She said that she has a heightened sense of everything when she's in the air.
 
"When you are in a small plane like mine, you feel everything that is going on around you. The plane is just an extension of self."
 
Andrzejewski said she is not afraid of flying at all, and even does a little sky diving and base jumping on the side.
 
"You do have to be aware of your surroundings and everything that is going on. Every time you get into the plane it is a little different. The weather and the locations are always varied, and you are not aware you can quickly get into danger."
 
Stunt Pilot Rob "Tumbling Bear" Harrison knows firsthand just how dangerous and violent a plane mishap can become.
 
"I fly Czech planes called Zlin-50's, and I crashed one last year," said Harrison. "Now I have more metal in my legs than an automobile. I keep flying because it is who I am, and I can't imagine living my life without airplanes.
 
"I am not scared when I go up, I figure when your number is up, it's up."
 
Harrison's wife Susan said that this is the first large-scale air show Rob has done since his accident.
 
"I'm not scared when he goes up either. I have a lot of confidence in my husband."
 
Rob said the experience that got him back into the plane cannot be explained properly with words to someone who has never flown.
 
"Flying is freedom in dimensions. When you are in the air, there are six dimensions. It is the only time I know of where I can be completely free.
 
"When you are up there, flying is all you think about, because you are on your own. Aerial acrobatics will teach a man about himself, including some things he may not want to know. This is a one of a kind experience."
 
For many civilians, the Air Show is a way to get a peep into the secret lives of Marines.
 
"The public sees the Marines at the front gates and wonder what is going on behind the gates," said Captain Rob Dolan.
 
"This gives us a chance to show them first hand what various members of the armed forces, including Marines, contribute on  daily basis. When you mesh the military acts with the civilian acts, you get one hell of a great time."