Planes, Planes, Planes

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.

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.

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.

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!

What could be down the ice hole?


Down we go


Well waddya know?

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.

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

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

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...

This is my 1953 Cessna 180 after restoration, I bought it as a basket case in 1984, first flight was in 1992. Painted in Imron and still shines today, never waxed. Hard to see in the picture but there is a 1/4" gold pinstripe painted on between the black and red. The wheel pants stayed on for about 2 months, it has 8.50-6's now.

I've been through the "Nine O None" a couple times. B17s are all mechanical. Cables running everywhere. We live near the Portland Jetport and it and a B24 came in right over my house. Pretty amazing looking up at them from that angle. You can hear those radial engines coming from quite a distance.

A lot of people served in the air corps during WWII. My father's best friend was a bombadier and died on a B17. My wife's father was a crew chief for one in England.

Here is our latest project before we took the wings off to drag her home.
1960 cessna 150 with a texas taildragger conversion.

skutsch wrote: Here is a picture of the cub, this also was an 85 HP version. Loved that airplane, everything is 60 mph. As you can see one of the great things is you can fly that around with the doors and windows open. Nothing better then hearing the wind whistle through all the cables with the engine idling as you are on short final.

Steve, that had to have been close to the ultralight experience. I had 50 hp (overkill, some were 27hp) 32 foot wingspan and a dry weight not much over 200 lbs. Top speed 55mph, power on stall of 18mph. It could take off and land in 150 feet. I think it could climb at 500 feet per minute, which is impressive when you are only going 22 mph. I too liked the quiet landings, power off and full forward stick to get it down to, and then stay on the ground.

This is kick butt stuff. Steve, will you fly over my parents (and my house) sometime and take some pics? I'd love some of the ski site

Also always been attracted to the B-17 flying fortress. They are amazing.

Jack - More envy here! That 180 is absolutely Gorgeous, I have a buddy who has a 190 from the same era, it would be neat to see those two birds as a flight of two. Just how does one get hired to fly an AT-6 for pay? You have had some GREAT gigs!

Scott - That lil 150 is going to be a gem, looks like you need to make sure to include some Tundra tires on the rebuild and fly out and hook up with Pete (Watrski).

Pete - That trip is on my bucket list. Always wanted to try some of that mountain flying and a what a perfect plane to do it in, Great Shots in the mountains!

Bruce - You need to get up in one of these small planes, it is COMPLETELY different then even the smallest of commercial airliners. There is nothing like putting your hands on the yolk or stic and controlling where you go.

Mike - Next time I am in Dubuque with the plane, lets go up, you can take all the pics you want!

Kirk and Tom, you should at least give it a try, arrange an introductory flight, or if you are close to one of these guys (myself included) on this thread shoot them a PM, I bet they would give you a ride. Dave you too should get back in to it!