Thousands attend 2021 Wings Wheels & Keels

Hummel Field in Topping site of 25th edition of the event

by Tom Chillemi –  

Some “gear heads” never get it out of their system.

Gerald Ware, 82, of Church View is one of them. He brought his Chrysler 300 “Hurst” to the 25th Wings, Wheels and Keels (WW&K) on Saturday at Hummel Field airport in Topping, where about 200 cars were displayed, along with boats, airplanes and two military helicopters.

Ware’s is one of 500 Chrysler “Hurst” performance models made in 1970. They sported a lightweight fiberglass hood and trunk lid. The 18-foot-long two-door beauty is painted in flawless two tone, with pinstriping.

Vintage racer

David Rex of Williamsburg brought his modified 1938 Ford coupe that was raced on the dirt tracks of the south around Atlanta. This forerunner of what would become NASCAR in 1949, had performance modifications. The body of the car had been moved rearward on the chassis for better weight balance to get more traction so all the power from the V-8 flathead engine could be transmitted to the track.

“A go boat”

Johns Rothert of Powhatan relaxed in the cockpit of his 1961 Whirlwind boat made of mahogany wood, one of 21 boats at WW&K. While the hull is vintage, the engine is late model. “This is a go boat, not a show boat,” he said. “Everybody wants to ride in this one because they know it will get them back to the dock.”

Air power

The ultimate exhibition of technology was the two U.S. Army helicopters. The CH 47 “Chinook” twin rotor helicopter from nearby Fort Eustis is powered by two jet engines that drive rotors, explained 1st Sgt. Nathan Smith, who has been an Army reservist for 24 years.

Also at WW&K was an Army UH 60 L Black Hawk  helicopter from Fort Bragg, N.C., that is used for assault and medical evacuation, explained Specialist Skylar Ashley.

Numbers

A spokesman for the Hartfield Volunteer Fire Department, which handled parking, estimated 1,000 vehicles were parked. An estimated 3,600 attended. About 45 airplanes flew in for the event.

Jack Ashburn, president of Memory Lane Car Club, said more than 170 vehicles were displayed.