Aircraft

[Delmonico]

Here you go, just found this, the engine that made the first flight for the Wrights:

[Delmonico]

1911 engine by the Wrights:

[Texas Lawdog]

I haven't got to ride in "FIFI" yet, but hopefully this spring or early summer. I am looking forward to it.  The B25 over in Fort Worth is having the radios worked on, so it's out of service for a while. I plan on riding in it when I can. It will be neat to be in the same kind of aircraft that my Dad flew in WW2.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I haven't got to ride in "FIFI" yet, but hopefully this spring or early summer. I am looking forward to it.  The B25 over in Fort Worth is having the radios worked on, so it's out of service for a while. I plan on riding in it when I can. It will be neat to be in the same kind of aircraft that my Dad flew in WW2.

Ride?  In the last flying B-29???!!

Little Jimmy, I'm now officially jealous of you!

[Leo Tanner]

Get in line Jeff.  Pop got his dream after retiring.  And apparently he got mine and yours as well.

[Texas Lawdog]

I've been watching a 3 part feature on the Doolittle Raid. They have some video on the Raider Reunion with about 20 +  B25s. I got to see a brief shot of "Pacific Prowler".

[Delmonico]

Two of Dolittles raiders were from Lincoln.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Two of Dolittles raiders were from Lincoln.

I thought he was already dead by then.


Lincoln ... sorry, bad joke

[Leo Tanner]

I thought he was already dead by then.


Lincoln ... sorry, bad joke

They were his grand sons.

[Delmonico]

Some one slap Jeff please.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Some one slap Jeff please.

Consider me slapped ..

[Texas Lawdog]

As of the last reunion of the Raiders, there are 6 members left. They have a wooden case with silver cups engraved their names on them. They drink a toast to themselves and the departed members.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I just saw the Military Channel special on these heroes.  They showed 3 or 4 of the survivors that were able to come to the 2009 (I think) reunion.  They told of the silver cups and the bottle the last 2 will drink from & toasty the others with.  It was well worth watching.

[Texas Lawdog]

I would have enjoyed being there and getting to meet the surviving members. A bunch of B25s flew up there for the event. Dad's outfit was the reorganized outfit that had been the Raiders. It was neat to see all those B25s up there. I caught a glimpse of "Pacific Prowler" in the video.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid34757272001?bclid=0&bctid=87804472001

[Leo Tanner]

Good link Charles.  You don't hear much about the 39s.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

They made a better ground attack plane than a fighter. in the Pacific, the Zeros feasted on them.....

[Steel Horse Bailey]

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid34757272001?bclid=0&bctid=87804472001

Thanks for posting this, Sir. Chas!  While not a top-notch fighter compared to Mustangs, Spits, FW190s, etc. the P-39 was a solid performer, with many advanced features, and the Russians loved them.  As did ground attack units.  And I've personally admired them for a long time; they look very advanced and modernistic to me, and .... well, I often like the "underdogs" that didn't get near as much of the hoop-la that other, more swift or agile fighters did.  ("hoop-la" [adj.] is a scientific word for accolades and other terms of endearment.  [See: acclaim, appreciation, commendation, fuss, tributes, & gushing praises  with proposals of marriage.])
     

[Arcey]

The museum out in Pungo has one on the Army side. It's airworthy. The fine fella guiding Tom and me thru the place said the locals don't like to fly it. Something about the balance with the engine placement. It has Russian markings.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I've heard about the balance issues before.  The way I heard it, when the aircraft had a full load of fuel, the balance (and center of gravity) was right, but as fuel was used in flight, it  became less responsive and the balance was off.  For most flights nowadays, the tanks wouldn't be totally full; only enough for whatever show or whatever flight was needed.

On the other hand, the fabulous P-51 had a similar fault, but in reverse.  It had a rather large fuel tank right behind the pilot in the fuselage.  When the plane was totally full of fuel, for the long escort missions, it handled terribly.  However, the pilots soon learned to switch the fuel draw to that tank FIRST, so that tank was used first and the plane became much more responsive and the CG and balance was right.