Watching a little of the closing ceremony this morning prompted me to think about how cool it would be if competition aerobatics was a event at the the Olympics. It was back at the 1936 Games in Berlin and featured glider and power aerobatics events - I think as demonstration events, as the World Aerobatic Championships were held in conjunction with the Games at that time.
Found this cool link below to the old Rangsdorf airfield in former East Berlin, site of the flying events at the 1936 Olympics and the site of the Bucker Flugwerkes. How cool would it be to check it out! I am a fan of Bucker biplanes and I think the Bucker Bu-133 was THE aerobatic mount pre-war.
http://www.abandonedberlin.com/2015/10/flugplatz-rangsdorf-stauffenberg-hitler-july-20-plot-soviet-airfield.html
http://gyrodyne.tumblr.com/post/100274048103/the-dfs-habicht-german-for-hawk-was-designed-in
The Bucker Jungmeister Bu-133 was flown by the legendary Alex Papana and Count Otto Von Hagenburg, as did Jose Aresti, who went on to develop the aerobatic graphical symbols now known as Aresti figures.
http://www.v-aviation.com/12.html
Golf is back as a Olympic event - why not aerobatics? It would be a damn site more interesting that synchronised swimming - just sayin'! If it's to do with "powered" flight, I wonder if glider aerobatics could one day be considered a event? We have sailing and cycling, why I wonder not gliding?
Amazing video of a Bu-133 flying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-P-5uyXy_g
I do think I will need to re-furb my 1/32 Bu-133 at some stage. It's far too drab in it's RLM 02 trainer finish.