Planes, Planes, Planes

Tom the B17 and other WWII era bombers really made the difference. My neighbor had an uncle who was a tail gunner and was shot down. When he went over to visit the grave site, the local french town people came out to tell him the stories of the day his uncles B17 went down. He said it was amazing how much they appreciate what the US and those planes did.

Here are some more Warbird shots. I used to work pyro tech for the Tora, Tora, Tora show. This is a simulation of the bombing on Pearl Harbor. The "Zero's" would make low passes down the runway and infield and as they would go the pyro tech guys would set off charges simulating bombs. My introduction, "you want to blow stuff up?" Hell YA!

Amazing what a gallon of gasoline (for flash and smoke) some detonation cord (ignition) and a half stick of dynamite (the "thump") will do... Anyway this also provided a great opportunity for some pretty cool pictures.



This shot shows how low these guys actually were, sometimes they would be this low right over the top of us. Crazy to smell the fuel and oil of the planes the smoke from the burning gas, the explosions, the roar of the those beautiful radial engines and those magical Merlin V12's...

Glass, that looks like a p-38, what's up?

I started to get my license then 911 happened,
They grounded everybody
I didn't go back

Here is another neat story, this is the famous "All American"



Definitely a tribute to the engineers who designed it, the folks who built it and the guys who flew it. My wife treated one of the great warriors who was associated with this plane (I can't remember if he was the radio man or grounds crew). Anyway he included the following description with the picture.

What could be down the ice hole?


Down we go


Well waddya know?

John, that P38 looks like fun - its unbelieveable how easy the warbird trainers fly (T-6, Stearman), but I guess thats kind of the point. Those pictures of your folks are priceless, what a neat story...

Back to more airplanes. Here are a couple of expiremental's that I have flown. First the Lancair, that thing is FAST, FAST, FAST, only plane I have flown with speedbrakes.



Here is a Thorpe T-18, this is one of my favorite airplanes. Fast, aerobatic cable and really small. Thats my Uncle, Cap'n Zee TWA Captain-Retired, Naval Air Officer Anti Submarine and Raceboat Driver holding many speed records and points championships. Driving everything from Unlimited's to little A Class Outboards. That was his plane.



The Skybolt - a great little aerobatic plane that torque rolled me at the top of a loop - SURPRISE!

Dave - you just need to get some floats on that ultra light!

Kevin, those look like those could have been taken from my 172. Here is another shot in the winter - and I believe those are some of the Chain Lakes below.



I'll load some more of the flying / airplane shots as I find them.

I used to fly a Rotec Ralley 4b similar to this in the 1980's.



Now thats flying. Boating is the closest thing I have found to flying without the annoying falling from the sky worries.

john b's previous post from "Gas Prices" Thread

john b wrote: skutsch wrote: wingwrench: Lives in Lakeland, FL, owns Classic Cessna 180 and Piper Cub, building Experimental Super Cub on Floats, Expects to complete Full Restoration on D Model Mustang in next 2 years. Other Hobbies: Water Skiing and Correct Craft Ski boats (probably lives on a lake too). Yep - that's my dream! I agree, pretty sweet! I have been around aircraft all my life. My father was a WWII B24 flight instructor at Muroc where he met my mother, who was a nurse there. They used to go to the Happy Bottom Riding Club, like everyone else stationed there. He was already a pilot and aircraft owner when he signed up. I still have a short snorter that I believe has Pancho's name on it, along with some other people he knew back then. I need to pull it out again, Here is a photo of his first plane, the Stinson, and his last attached, the Skyhawk I ended up with. I miss all the times we spent together. I love the warbirds too. My father knew quite a few people who flew and restored them. The coolest was Bill Ross's P38. I can't resist a couple of photos. My mother and father have both died, but I got a lot of opportunities just by being their son. http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t220/72vsonic/IMG_3467.jpg I would love to see any photos you guys have. I guess this thread exploded long ago, so I don't know if I hijacked it or from whom. Sorry if it is inappropriate. It's just that some said airplane.