Hundreds of heads were looking toward the sky Saturday as historic aircraft circled their way around the airport during the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum’s "WWII History Takes Flight" air show. Visitors to the museum had the chance to get an up-close look at Second World War-era B-17 and Mitchell B-25 Bombers, as well as witness Fleet Finch, Tiger Moth, Harvard, and other historic aircraft take to the sky. CATPM executive director Stephen Hayter described the day as "phenomenal" saying that the hot weather and cloudy sky made a perfect backdrop for showcasing the aircraft.

This year, in an attempt to draw a bigger crowd, the museum brought in Stefan Trischuk, an aerobatic pilot. Trischuk stole the show during his two performances, with people cheering as he performed nosedives and tailspins. "We really wanted to add a different layer to the show that would really peak people’s interests and get families to come out," Hayter said.

Though he didn’t have the final attendance numbers, Hayter said that he thought attendance was down compared to previous years, attributing the drop in numbers to the wide range of other events going on in the Westman area. "We’re competing with a lot of summertime events," Hayter said. "There’s a lot for people to see and do, and timing is just everything for these kinds of events."

Bill Hillman, who spent the day as MC for the event, said the show proves that people still have an appreciation for aircraft. "Ever since the Wright brothers, there’s been this fascination and love for flight," Hillman said, describing the day as like seeing history come alive. "There’s been such a variety of aircraft in the last 100 years ... so it’s great to see some of the aircraft here today."

Hillman says the show was also a good opportunity for the CATPM’s volunteers to show off their efforts, including the million-dollar memorial wall recently constructed outside the museum. "It’s really satisfying to see some appreciation of all the work the volunteers are putting in," he said.

While Hayter says the museum has no plans for next year, there is talk of having a show in 2017. "There’s whisperings that for Canada's 150th, maybe we could bring in the Snowbirds," Hayter said. "But we’re still in preliminary discussions at this point."