NDANG 25thThe North Dakota Air National Guard's 25th Anniversary Open House on August 5th 1972 was my first Air Show. Unfortunately I remember very little of it. There was little press coverage other than a photo in paper of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels practicing over the skies of Fargo in their McDonald-Douglas F4J 'Phantom' jets.
It is interesting to note the Blue Angels flew on a Friday, at 2 PM. I lived less than a mile from the airport at the time. I was interesting in aviation, but don't remember this performance. It is quite possible my friend Blaine and I didn't even know about it until they were flying overhead.
The 'Open House' at the Air Guard was held from 10 AM until 4 PM on Saturday August 5th 1972. Dad and I attended. I believe he photographed these four aircraft, the T-38 Talon, the F-102 Delta Dagger*, the A-7 Corsair II, and the UH-1 Huey helicopter. I wasn't yet into photography. The Yashica D was Ray's main camera at the time- and helps place these photos to this Air Show.
It looks like we were there after lunch- it wasn't very crowded, maybe everyone was at the 1 PM hanger dance.
Although I can't really remember this air show, it was important. Not only was it my first, but it was something dad and I shared along with photography. I joined Civil Air Patrol the following year. This air show may well have acted as the catalyst for that decision.
I've attended every air show in Fargo since then. The Fargo Air Sho got wildly popular over the years. The NDANG mission has changed a number of times, but they still play a vital role in our community.
History of the NDANG *The NDANG flew the F-102 from 1966 to 1969
Original Text from the Fargo Forum 8/4/1972 and the NDANG May 1972 'Jet Letter'