photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World photo

Derek Rogers, neon shirt, shows off his 1972 Nanchang CJ-6, a type of aircraft that primarily was used by the Chinese military to train pilots. Rogers, who is the city's parks and recreation director, has owned the plane for nearly four years, and flies it weekly, he said. Rogers was one of several aircraft owners showing off their machines as part of the Kansas Air Tour that included an overnight stop at Lawrence's airport on Sept. 23, 2021.

A few hundred aviation fans turned out at the Lawrence Municipal Airport on Thursday to view the approximately 40 aircraft that flew to town as part of the Kansas Air Tour, an event sponsored by the Kansas Department of Transportation and others.

It was the first time Lawrence was a host city for the air tour, which got its start in 1928. Lawrence airport leaders hosted a public open house as part of the event, letting members of the public get close to the planes that flew in from across the state.

One of the hangar buildings also was used to host a dinner for the pilots and crew who arrived in Lawrence on Thursday. Pilots were scheduled to remain in Lawrence overnight and take off Friday morning to resume the air tour, which was heading to central and western Kansas.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World photo

Libby Wendorf and her mother, Georgia Orchard, right, look at one of about 40 aircraft that flew into Lawrence on Sept. 23, 2021 as part of the Kansas Air Tour that stopped in Lawrence overnight.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World photo

Aircraft took up a large part of the main apron at Lawrence Municipal Airport on Sept. 23, 2021 as Lawrence was stop on the Kansas Air Tour.