“World’s Smallest Airport”, the true story of The Thrasher Brothers Aerial Circus, 1945 -1950, will be shown at the Legacy Theatre in Tyrone, Georgia on March 29 to benefit the new National Museum of Commercial Aviation now in development on the grounds of the Atlanta Airport.
This nationally recognized air show began in Athens and Elberton, Georgia following the end of World War II. For five years in over 300 shows the brothers performed amazing feats with unlikely airplanes at airports from Pennsylvania to Miami to Houston.
One of the signature acts was landing a Piper Cub on the “World’s Smallest Airport”, a small platform on top of a 1946 Ford, then taking off. The shows also featured low altitude loops and rolls by the world’s only “Siamese Ercoupe”, two Ercoupes bolted together and controlled from the left fuselage.
The youngest of the Thrasher brothers, Tunis P. Thrasher, later flew for Southern Airways and its ultimate successor, Northwest Airlines. In 1976 the Thrasher brothers were honored by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC for their exhibition flying exploits.
A wine reception beginning at 7 p.m. will precede the screening, which will start at 8 p.m. Admission is free (with a suggested donation to the new Museum).
Following the screening, Grady Thrasher III, son of the air show’s founder Grady Thrasher, and who at age four was included in an act billed as “The World’s Youngest Pilot”, will take questions from the audience.
For more information and to reserve tickets, please contact Jim Robinson at (770) 460 1119 or jimrobinson504@earthlink.net.
For a two-minute preview of the documentary, go to www.worldssmallestairport.com.
