Plenty to see at WW&K

Going places in the air, on land, and by water has led to a wide variety of transportation conveyances. And, more than 200 examples of vintage, historic, or exotic aircraft, motor vehicles and boats converged on Saturday at Hummel Field airport in Topping for the 27th Wings, Wheels & Keels (WWK).

Metal shaped into rolling sculpture defined their place in the history of cars and trucks at this years Wings Wheels and Keels event.

The biggest car at WWK was a 1932 Packard, parked a few spaces from a 1972 Fiat 500 “Cinquecento,” the smallest show car. Fiat was an Italian city car that made its debut in 1957 and was produced into the 1980s in other countries.

The original Fiat had a four-cylinder engine with 633 CC (36 cubic inches) that could push it to 59 mph. It weighed 1,300 pounds and cost $9,500 in today’s money. About 5 million were made.

The Fiat measured 126 inches from bumper to bumper. The Fiat’s overall dimension could fit between the 144-inch (12 foot) wheel base of the 1932 Packard Super Eight Convertible Sedan, of Glen and Lona Trebour of Gloucester.

Rescued cars

A pair of rare English cars belonging to David Laughton of Urbanna were displayed. Laughton had “rescued” a 1951 Jowett Javelin Jupiter and a 1963 Morgan. The Morgan had been disassembled in 1989 and its parts left in “boxes and jam jars” until Laughton brought it back from near extinction.

War birds

Two “war bird” training planes flew in as a pair at WWK — a U.S. Marine Corps trainer and a T-6 “Texan,” used by the U.S. Air Force. The T-6 was one of 15,496 built by North American Aviation. First flown in 1935, the T-6 was used by America, Canada and Britain to train World War II pilots. 

Different “wings”

Falconer Ester Davis Jett of Northumberland brought natural wings to Wings, Wheels & Keels on Saturday. “Banshee” is a juvenile red-tailed hawk, a species that can dive at 120 miles per hour. Jett, 15, is one of the youngest falconers among Virginia’s 100 falconers. 

Winners

 The Memory Lane Car Club announced the winners of the 27th Wings, Wheels & Keels show presented on Sept. 30. Club president Jack Ashburn estimated that between 180 and 200 vehicles were on display at Hummel Field airport in Topping for the event.

Winners include:

• Class 1 —American 1900-1945, third-Jim Bostic-1929 Ford, second-Carl Carlson-1931 Ford, first-Glen Trebour-1935 Packard.  
• Class 2 — American 1946-1966, third-Tom Arboneau-1966 Corvette, second-Charlie Hartman-1960 Corvette, first-Forrest McGee-1955 Chevy Bel Air.
• Class 3 — American 1967-1987, third-Steve Lang-1967 Olds Toronado, second-Pete Martina-1969 Chevelle SS, first-Chuck Pritchard-1973 Dodge Challenger.
•  Class 4 — American 1988-2008, third-Lewis Walton-1988 Chevy Rat Rod, second-Tony Saccaro 2001 Camaro, first-Rick McQuiston-1993 Corvette.
• Class 5 — American 2009-2023, third-David Blades-2023 Corvette ZO6, second-Max McLendon-2015 Corvette ZO6, first-Art Polik-2016 Corvette ZO6.
• Class 6 — European and other Foreign, third-Mike McDonough-2020 BMW, second-Stephen Klince-2008 BMW, first-Robert Tyldslex-1976 Ferrari Dino 308 GT.
• Class 7 — British 1900-1959, third-Karen Asaro-1951 MG-TD, second-David Laughton-1951 Jowett Jupiter, first-Ronald Owen-1955 MG-TF.
• Class 8 — British 1960-1980, third-Dan Dillon-1962 MGA MK II, second-David Laughton-1963 Morgan, first-Jim Francis-1965 Morgan.
• Class 9 — British 1981-2023, third-Jody Nelson-2004 Jaguar XKS, second-Bob Taylor-1988 Jaguar XJS, first-Ron Mitchell-2014 Aston Martin.
• Class 10 — Exotic, third-J.D.Willett-1987 Porsche, second-Glen Trebour-1936 Auburn Speedster Replica, first-Mike Nonnemaker-1996 Jaguar XJS.
• Best in Show, Ron Mitchell’s 2014 Aston Martin.