Aircraft

[Arcey]

Nice show. Thanks for the images, PE. Enjoyed 'em.

[pony express]

The B-25 on tour is "Made In The Shade". The P-51, "Gunfighter" Usually tours with "FIFI", our B-29. The job of keeping these 70 year old aircraft is a expensive and difficult one at best. These aircraft require constant maintence. I am a Life member and I belong to three squadrons. The CAF is my first love and CAS, being my second love.

Missouri's B-25 is named "Show Me", can't get a B-29 or even a B-17 in here, but they're talking about extending the runway to 5000 feet in the next year or two, that's the holdup on getting any four engines in here.

[Texas Lawdog]

The B-25 is my favorite. My Dad flew B-25s in WW2, 12thAF, 57th BW, 310BG, 428BS. He was in. Pilot training when the War started. He served in North Africa and the entire Med. He was overseas from 42-45.

[Arcey]

Kinda miffed.

Took the fat lady out to Pungo ta get a few things from the produce stands. Kept seein' car show signs. Hit downtown Pungo 'n there was an early fifties Chevrolet flat bed with a big sign in the back sayin' antique cars 'n airplanes. Sure 'nuff it was at the museum.

Rode in 'n folks was startin' to trailer stuff up. We'd already seen of pile of folks in old stuff on the road goin' the other way. Bunch of airplanes sittin' outside. The P-51 was the closest ta the parking lot.

Didn't have anything to do I couldn't have blitzed this mornin' 'n gone. I go thru the paper every mornin'. The radio's on all damned day. Not one word. Remember the conversation I had with an employee out there. She told me they weren't gonna advertize. The thing is on their website calendar 'n that was kinda it. Wonder if that ain't a reason why they're goin' belly up.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Lack of gettin' the word out sure can kill things, Arcey.Probably can't afford the advertising costs

[Texas Lawdog]

I did not renew my membership at the Museum at Pungo. I got a newsletter about the happenings at the  Museum.

[Arcey]

Run into a neighbor who volunteers at the museum from time to time. He worked the car show Saturday.

He says there's another Focke Wolf (sp) in the Fighter Factory in pieces. The ME 262 is still in the area but stored in a remote site several miles away. I ain't sure that one can be flown in. I know the storage place he spoke of, it's nowhere near a runway if they could. I guess they'd have to disassemble the thing to get it to Pungo. Don't know it's of any value to anyone anyway as it's a new reproduction, not an original.

The morale is pretty good according to him. They're getting things reorganized and intend to keep it going.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Well, Best of Luck to them.

Whoever owns the 262 has a LOT of Ca$h and probably wants it available to fly, since it's new.  But not out of that storage place with no runway, of course!  It might already be disassembled enough to fit on a trailer.

[Texas Lawdog]

There is a guy at Meacham Field in Fort Worth that was a Luftwaffe cadet pilot, and later a regular Luftwaffe pilot. He has built some F2F replicas from scrap frames. He has also built some ME262 replicas. He got one million dollars apiece for the F2F's. I do not know what he is selling the 262's for.

[Texas Lawdog]

I have recently joined the 57th Bomb Wing Association. The 57th was the Bomb Wing that my Dad was in. Membership is open to  former members and relative of former members. I am hoping to attend a reunion sometime, and get to meet some of the men that served with my Dad, before they all pass away.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Good luck with that, Pard!

Those old guys are getting fewer by the minute!  God Bless 'em all!

[Texas Lawdog]

They are planning to have next years reunion here. I have suggested either Meacham Field in Fort Worth or Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.  It looks like that I will helping with stuff around here.

[Texas Lawdog]

I got my 57th Bomb Wing membership card yesterday, along with 4 of the group's magazines. I have got to reading to enjoy. I am hoping to meet someone at the reunion that served with my Dad or knew of him.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Sounds good, Brother James!  If you're lucky, you may meet up with one of those guys who served with your Dad.  When my Step-Dad Bud died, his pilot was able to attend the service.  Bud was the nose-turret gunner on a B-24 G model, if my memory is correct.  Bud and this gent and the rest of their crew had stayed in contact throughout the years.  (This was back in 1994 or so.)  The pilot was the only man still able to get out and about and he was able to come to the service.  It was an honor to meet him.  I WISH my memory could supply his name.  Unfortunately, most of the rest of the crew had already passed away.

I have several of the very typical "crew shots" showing the crew standing in front of their B-24.  At some point in time, Bud had the photos enlarged and framed - they are the large size of photo paper; around 22" X 30" or thereabouts.  (I haven't measured them, but they're pretty big and pretty clear, too.)  And framed, of course.  They don't show a lot of detail about the plane, altho' the focus is on the crew, naturally.  But it does show the nose-art.  I might try and take a photo and post it, but I have to actually FIND the photos - they're back in my "storage" (read: junque) room!

[Texas Lawdog]

ShB, I am hoping to meet some of those guys! Especially if the next year's reunion is held in the D/FW area.

[Arcey]

Scott Carpenter has passed on.

If I may slightly plagiarize your line, sir - Godspeed, Scott Carpenter.

[Texas Lawdog]

The Mercury astronauts are slowly dying off. I know that Grissom and Shepard are gone, and now Carpenter., so that would leave 4?

[Arcey]

I believe Glenn is the last of the living.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

God Bless 'em all.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Glenn is the only one left now. Schirra passed in '07