Pilot KIC

Truly a sad incident.

in Memorium

"RHINEBECK - The pilot killed in a plane crash Sunday during an airshow at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome has been identified Vincent Nasta, a 46-year-old Long Island teacher and veteran pilot and flight instructor.

Nasta, of Wading River, was piloting a replica 1917 Nieuport 24, in a mock World War I dogfight performance at the Aerodrome when he seemed to lose control of the plane. . ."

Here is Old Rhinebeck's Nieuport 24 before Aug. 17, 2008.


"Powered with a Le Rhone 120 hp rotary engine the 24 bis was the zenith of the "V strutter" Nieuport development which started with the Nieuport 11. Essentially a Nieuport 17 with fully rounded and streamlined fuselage it was manueverable and fast. So admired that they were directly copied by the germans in the form of Siemen Schukert and Albatros D5 scouts, the Nieuport reigned supreme of French fighters until the advent of the SPAD. Nearly 300 were supplied to American squadrons.

This replica was acquired through a trade with The Aviation Heritage Center, New Zealand and is powered by a Warner 145 hp radial engine. It is painted in the colors of sous Lieutenant Gilbert Discours, a 4 victory pilot, 4 times awarded the Croix de Guerre, who survived WW1 as well as flying combat in WW2. He died in 1967. "

These were aircraft most instructors flew during 1918 at the 3rd Aviation Instructional Center, Issoudon for the AEF.

My deepest sympathies and condolences to the family of Vincent Nasta. Does anyone know how this most unfortunate accident will affect the air shows for the remainder of the season?
Dwayne