Rained out
<p>Coeur d'Alene Elks Club member Bill Sawyer stands in the back of his trailer as rain pours down at the Coeur d'Alene airport Tuesday. Vendors and spectators gathered at the airport to watch World War II airplanes land. The aircraft were unable to take off from Seattle on both Monday and Tuesday due to poor weather conditions.</p>
<p>Cadets from the Coeur d'Alene United States Airforce Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol gathered at the Coeur d'Alene airport to view World War II airplanes which were supposed to arrive Tuesday afternoon. Heavy rainfall washed out the event and prevented the aircrafts from leaving Seattle.</p>
<p>Gage Wilson, a Coeur d'Alene US Airforce Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol cadet does pushups in a chain with other Air Patrol members while waiting in the rain for World War II aircrafts which were scheduled to arrive Tuesday afternoon. Clouds and rain prevented the planes from leaving Seattle on Monday and Tuesday.</p>
Trying to prevent food in his barbecue stand from becoming soaked during Tuesday's downpour, Ron Dayton looked on the bright side of the mostly cloudy day that canceled World War II planes from flying into Coeur d'Alene from Seattle.
"Sales would have been great if they would have flown in, but we're still happy to be here for the (Coeur d'Alene Airport Association)," Dayton said.
While some of the afternoon turned sunny, the damage had been done by the rain and clouds earlier in the day to prevent the planes from flying in for the Wings of Freedom Tour at the Coeur d'Alene Airport for the second straight day.
The B-24 Liberator, B-17 Flying Fortress and P-51 Mustang were slated to be on display at the airport Monday through today, but clouds, particularly over the mountains near Seattle, prevented the planes from takeoff.
Tom Lewis of the airport association said, if the planes arrive today, it will only be for a few hours as they are slated to depart later in the day for the next show in Colorado. They won't be available for public viewing and only for the pre-scheduled flights in the area.
Lewis said the planes, slated to be made available by a nonprofit called The Collings Foundation, fly under visual flight rules rather than instrument flight rules because of their age.
"The only thing that could have screwed us up - and I mean the only thing - was the weather," Lewis said. "And it has."
Activities, including speakers, music and videos of vintage planes organized by the nonprofit airport association, still went on as planned at the airport without the planes. But attendance was hurt due to the weather as many were vendors or association members.
Lewis said the association spent about $700 to organize the event.
"It's a bummer, but I'm sure we'll make up for it in dues," he said.
Vendors also felt the pinch. Dick Gardner of the Elks Lodge said his booth had planned to sell 200 burgers and 75 hot dogs on Tuesday. But, just prior to closing shop early in the afternoon, the group had sold just 15 burgers and five hot dogs.
"Idaho weather," he said. "It's the way it goes."
Association member Gene Soper refused to let the weather get him down.
"It was a gamble, but if you let the weather disappoint you, then I don't know where you should live," Soper said.
He said it was still a successful event because everything in man's control came together.
"It was a well-organized, well-supported event, and it was successful because of that," Soper said. "We didn't make any money, but that's not our goal."