European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Quad o i / vl\0 of the show f-15 and f-16s mobbed in Poland in my t Ihm the cockpit of this f-16 Drew rave reviews. By Lynda Davidson staff writer. Barely a year ago they were mortal enemies a poles apart in a myriad ways. But by last week they were Friendly strangers gathering in Western Poland to show Oft their military hardware compare notes and entertain 150,000 people. The event was the inaugural polish International air show and it marked the first time that pilots from nato countries the soviet Union and former East bloc nations had Ever formally flown together or opened their aircraft for one another. Quot a year ago it would have been impossible Quot noted soviet air Force maj Alexander Bozie Nienow As he eagerly inspected Western aircraft the air show Drew some pretty impressive planes. The huge Su-27 a the newest soviet fighter a was there. So was the French Mirage. And the British Tornado. But the biggest hit was the americans. Three f-15 s from Pitburg a two f-16s from Span Dahlem a both in Germany and a c-130 from Raf Mildenhall England Drew excited throngs of poles who clambered into the aircraft and bombarded the americans with questions. Quot the poles did a great Job really Quot said col. Mike Tobin Deputy commander of operations at Pitburg a and commander of the american contingent. Quot this was a massive undertaking. They estimated no More than 60,000 people and we had 150,000, More than twice what they  tech. Sgt. Kevin Grundmeier an f-15 Crew member from the 36th age at Pitburg was surprised by both the size and nature of the crowd. Quot these Guys Are really curious about the air planes. They re getting up into the cockpits and taking a look. We have to make sure that they done to play with anything and we have to make sure that they Don t take a camera up there Quot said Grundmeier. The soviets also allowed visitors into the cockpits of their air planes cameras and All. Capt Steve Wallender of Pitburg sat in the cockpit of the new soviet Su-27. Quot watching the performance yesterday its quite capable Quot said Mailender who talked with soviet engineers about maintenance and training. Quot they said they do a lot of simulator missions. The pilots Only get about sixty hours a year in the air which seems awful Low. We get about 240 hours a year. It makes you feel pretty Good because we be got to be up on them in experience  Bozie Nienow the soviet major climbed into the american aircraft and was duly impressed especially with the f-16. A when i was in the cockpit it seemed to me that i was wearing a shirt. It is very delicate precise and  he said. A Quot the f-15 has a Little More room our us has plenty of room As your pilots have noticed Quot col. Joseph Gardewin the air attache at the . Embassy in Warsaw who was instrumental in arranging . Participation said the polish military has More than just a passing interest in combat aircraft brought in from the West. The polish air Force has always depended on soviets for hardware but they Quot Are not a fully reliable supplier of parts and equipment anymore Quot he said. Quot soviets Are charging Western prices now. Some poes have said that it May be More expensive to have a Mig-29 than Western  maj. Jan Goscinski a staff member of the polish air Force Academy in Deblin said his countrymen were eager to have the americans at the air show. A we consider americans As leading in the world Quot he said. Quot we Felt flattered a bit having been assured by the  that they would come to the  Goscinski said that part of the curiosity displayed by crowds was a result of the persian Gulf War. Quot Many people come to see those pilots who fought in the desert storm operation As Well As to see those Birds air planes ,1�?T he said. Goscinski said he hoped the air show created Quot the possibility to discuss our Points of  Quot i think its much better to discuss than to shoot at each other Quot he said he also said there Are plans to have polish air Academy cadets spend 10 Days this fall at the . Air Force Academy. Quot the second stage is a trip by. Americans Here to Poland Quot he said a i think we Are looking to get new technology in the air Force Quot the major said. Quot we cannot think about the future without having new equipment we have about 400 aircraft in the polish air Force but if you compare our aircraft with Western counterparts you will see differences. No  Tobin the commander of the american delegation said that other than some problems in getting Jet fuel the visit went relatively smoothly. Quot for 40 years we be trained to fight these same Guys that we be been Palling around with for four Days and this is certainly a great Way to end up to be friends Quot he said. Quot this is a great Way for the cold War to  about 150,000 people flocked to Posnan Poland to gawk at the combat aircraft crawl into the cockpits and Marvel at the thunderous Roar of Aerial demonstrations. A amps photos by Lynda Davidson s x a. Kids a of Alt Ages a were awed by the combat aircraft. Page 14 a the stars and stripes saturday August 31. 199 the stars and stripes a Page 15