Aircraft

[Leo Tanner]

I don't imagine it would be very good for a barrel roll.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

We discussed it a bit earlier, but this allows us to see much more detail.  I thought it was painted as a Hellcat, but now I see it's actually an F4U-Dolphaire.  Or maybe an F4U-Corphin.





It's a cool yard ornament, that's fer sure!

[Arcey]

Thinking Buck's right – mean looking. Whatever it is, Dolcat or Hellphin, I'll bet it's a dive bomber..................

That's my station wagon, Tex. Thanks. Enjoy the Skywarrior.

Not clear on what won't do a barrel roll. The EA-3B, the F4U or the station wagon.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Look at the bent wing and the vertical stabilizer - definitely an F4U- Dolphaire.  Not MADE to be a dive bomber, but when used as one it performed great at it.

Of course, seeing the 3 bladed prop, it's an early version, and maybe one of the Goodyear-made FG1 or F4U-1 early model of the Dolphaire.

It was the first swimming mammal that could exceed 400 MPH in a level ... swim.


Ok, I'm done now.  Time to get back to serious aircraft and some more great plane pics from Arcey and others!

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, I would like one of those Dolphins in my back yard. The one that looks like a Corsair.  One of Colleen's girlfriends Dad was one of the "Black Sheep" (ED Shiflett). He retired as a full Colonel in the USMC. He died of Cancer before I got to meet him. He was a PM, 32nd Degree Red Hat, and a Shriner.  He was a wrestler in HS and College. He broke one of Pappy's legs during a scuffle in the "O" club. I wish I could have met him. I know he had some stories to tell.

[Texas Lawdog]

I jusrt received an e-mail from a friend notifying me of another aircraft crash. On April 4, 2012, we lost a great pilot. Howard Pardue, age 77 was killed when his F8F Bearcat crashed on take off from Breckenridge,Tx airport.  Howard was a great pilot. He was a particpant at the CAF AirSho at Midland. He flew the Bearcat in the Reno Air Races. He was a great friend of the CAF and Warbird pilots. Howard had a collection of Warbirds that he hangared at the Breckenridge Airport. Howard will be missed.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Dang.  We lost another great person and an awesome plane.


God Bless.

[mestiza letty]

Prayers are up for him TLD the reports were in from his Reno Air Race participation in his beloved Bearcat...
Sad week-end to lose another great pilot... Our races are ON this year much to the glee of the pilots and fans...The Gallopin' Ghost would have wanted the show to go on

[Texas Lawdog]

Howard will be missed. He was a fixture at the Reno Air Races as well as the AirSho at Midland. I don't know if he was a member of the CAF. He was a qualified carrier pilot and he flew a Wildcat or a Hellcat off the deck of the Lexington before it was decommissioned. This was for a WW2 mini-series(Winds of War). I never got to meet him, but I was able to be around him at the AirSho at Midland.

[Texas Lawdog]

The funeral for Howard Pardue will be at 2 PM at the First Christian Church in Breckenridge, Tx.   The crash is under investigation and results are forth coming next week.  Good Bye Howard. I know you died, doing what you loved to do.  Semper FI !

[Texas Lawdog]

Leo, You will be happy to know that the B29/B24 Squadron is changing the B-24's name back to "Diamond Lil" in the near future.

[Arcey]

No luck at all with the Pungo farm stands. Strawberries look ready to go. Oh well.

This one's prop was still spinning when I drove up. You can see the pilot's legs. About a pretty little thing. I understand some visitors fly in.



Chuckie wasn't exactly in the Fighter Factory. Showing the new turrets. Camera has a hell of a zoom.................



The "new" hangar is period from Germany. They bought it, had it disassembled and numbered the parts. Shipped them here for reassembly. They have a three story control tower they found in England they haven't started on.



A Messerschmidt me 108 waiting for some TLC.



It's hard to tell without a point of reference but the thing isn't much bigger than a hiccup...

[Major E A Sterner]

Did any of Y'all see this,it mightcould be one of the most important finds ever...


http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/04/17/buried-treasure-world-war-ii-spitfires-to-be-unearthed-in-burma/?hpt=hp_t2

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Altho' I've seen 108s used as "fighters" in movies I'm pretty sure it started life as a civilian plane that was also to be a courier plane or training by the military.  NOT a tactical aircraft at all.  It'd be a nice light plane for Generals, business men, families, etc.  To be used much like ... say, a Beechcraft Bonanza; more seating, faster, more of the "executive" look.

Thanks for the great pics, R.C.!

[mestiza letty]

Got an' echo on the good pics Arcey..
Hope those "Spitfires" find their way home. Know a man from Burma, he and his family couldn't take the military oppression and now are full citizens in the USA.

[Texas Lawdog]

I am wondering if those Spitfires will be for sale when they arrive in England. That could make for some serious bidding from collectors.

[litl rooster]

I know this ain't a warbird, but just the same it flew in to Dulles this week and is being moved to it's retirement home as I type this .  I reviewed the Security cameras at work and one of the Low flyby's with escorts was real close to the building. In the video that builidng is visiable at 8 minutes or so in.  Lot's of folks headed to the roof tops for the event, and traffic outside of Dulles was a mess.  Our security cams had this quality of footage, but I was not permitted to download and reuse it.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Warbird or not, it's cool!  And the two together is more!

(I don't think this thread is limited to Warbirds ONLY, anyhoo!)

Thanks fer postin', Roo!

[Texas Lawdog]

The Transporter aircraft is an old AA 747. Moose's cousin used to work security for NASA. He rode on the 747 when it was hauling a shuttle. He showed us some pictures he took on a trip from Edwards to the Cape. I wish I had some of them. He retired from NASA and went to work for Wackenhut after they took over the security for NASA. He and his wife have both passed away, but it was neat to hear some of his stories. He started out at White Sands in the 50s.

[Texas Lawdog]

We're gonna have some airborne reenactors at the CAF hangar in Lancaster, Tx tomorrow morning. They are going to jump out of our R4D(Navy version of DC-3/C-47). It should be interesting. I am planning on attending our Wing meeting tomorrow, so I'm going early to watch the jump.