Aircraft

Steel Horse Bailey · October 29, 2011, 09:35:56 PM

Got it!

I had NO idea that something so interesting and historically important was only an hour away!

Texas Lawdog · October 30, 2011, 05:41:34 AM

I wish that the CAF could have aquired a B32, but the CAF wasn't around till 1957. We do have a B23 in restoration at the HQ in Midland.

Major E A Sterner · November 04, 2011, 08:46:11 PM

How about some footage of "FIFI"

http://www.eaavideo.org/video.aspx?v=1143348987001

Major E A Sterner · December 05, 2011, 09:20:04 PM

Here's some more Warbird footage from a German Airshow...

http://www.clipwings.com/clip/1182/Duxford_Flying_Legends_2011__DE_vers

Steel Horse Bailey · December 06, 2011, 08:51:52 AM

Duxford is in England/Great Britain, but the posters on the website were certainly German! The felow who produced it, Mike Vario, may be German - and it does say German in the Title - right before Duxford.

Be that as it may, it was a great 12 minutes and thanks VERY much for posting the link, Major!

Texas Lawdog · December 06, 2011, 05:15:32 PM

Duxford is definitely on my "Bucket List". A nice gathering of WW2 fighter planes.

Texas Lawdog · December 29, 2011, 01:05:09 PM

The work on the A-26 is coming along. It is still at Brecckenridge at the restoration facility and will be there for at least another month.

Steel Horse Bailey · December 29, 2011, 04:12:29 PM

A26 planes are very cool. I've always liked the movie (Forever sumthin' - I fergit the name) about the fire bombers because there were some good flying shots and the A26 was their primary borate or water bomber. It had Holly Hunter, John Goodman, & Richard Dreyfus. It also had some not-so-good shots of flying models, but that's the way it goes - they tried. I like the ones with the nose full of cal. 50s - it's a powerful package. The last ones that were used in Viet Nam with the wing tip tanks and other mods were awesome machines. I think most of the pilots who flew them really liked them, but they were getting pretty worn and started having wing-warping or breakage issues.

Texas Lawdog · December 30, 2011, 05:50:13 AM

SHB, "Always" was the name of the movie. There is one of those A-26s from Viet Nam in our hangar. I private outfit is restoring it. The CIA ordered all those planes destroyed, somehow this one survived.

Steel Horse Bailey · December 30, 2011, 11:42:56 AM

Aha! Weren't those done by the same folks as the Cavalier Mustangs? VERY cool!

Texas Lawdog · December 31, 2011, 04:23:03 AM

I am hoping that someday both A-26s in our hangar will be able to fly together. Our A-26 is still in Breckenridge being restored. It should be ready to have a check ride in a week or two. If that goes okay, it will be flown to our hangar for the finishing touches. It will be a welcome addition to the hangar.

Texas Lawdog · January 19, 2012, 04:52:07 AM

Our A-26 is supposed to arrive Sunday afternoon at Meacham Field in Fort Worth from the restoration facility in Breckenridge, Texas. I have not seen it in over a year. I hope she likes her new home in our hangar.

Texas Lawdog · January 21, 2012, 05:08:01 AM

I haven't heard any more on the A-26 arrival in Fort Worth tomorrow. I hope the weather will be nice and there is a crowd to welcome her to her new home.

Steel Horse Bailey · January 21, 2012, 07:01:11 AM

Me, too. Wish I could be there.

Now I'm off to our Jan. F&AM meeting - later, amigos ...

Texas Lawdog · January 21, 2012, 11:10:30 AM

SHB, I wish that you could too. I wish that I could attend your meeting as well. Tell Dave Hi for me if he's there.

Steel Horse Bailey · January 22, 2012, 10:17:54 PM

Quote from: Texas Lawdog on January 21, 2012, 11:10:30 AM
SHB, I wish that you could too. I wish that I could attend your meeting as well. Tell Dave Hi for me if he's there.

I did 'cause he was there.

Texas Lawdog · January 23, 2012, 09:46:49 AM

More Gremin's have attack the A-26 and it didn't make it to Fort Worth yesterday. The flight to Fort Worth has been re scheduled for next weekend. Let's hope it makes it here in one piece on the weekend. SHB, I am sure that there will be a Hiram's Ranger's meeting at the Convention we can all attend together.

Steel Horse Bailey · January 23, 2012, 11:00:59 AM

Quote from: Texas Lawdog on January 23, 2012, 09:46:49 AM
#1 More Gremlins have attacked the A-26 and it didn't make it to Fort Worth yesterday. The flight to Fort Worth has been re scheduled for next weekend. Let's hope it makes it here in one piece on the weekend. #2 SHB, I am sure that there will be a Hiram's Ranger's meeting at the Convention we can all attend together.

Lil' Jimmy,

Re: comment #1) Dang hang it! As these beautiful machines get older, those dang Gremlins multiply at a furious pace! I hope it arrives in good health, too. Speaking of multiplying, did you know that - according to brilliant Mathematicians, rabbits love to multiply?

Re: comment #2 Count on it! Ron "Woody" Woods and I weren't able to shoot the 2010 NCOWS National, but we were able to drive down for the Hiram's Rangers induction Friday evening. I was elated to be able to attend and become TODAY!a member of this great organization, plus being able to see many of the shooters/friends, not just my Brother Masons was a real treat! Even if my health doesn't allow me to shoot this coming year, I'll darn sure be there for a meet!

Too bad we couldn't fly there on a nice restored A26 with some extra "rider" seats! That'd be a REAL treat, wouldn't it !?!

As to keeping these machines flying safely, I realized (some time ago) how MUCH work is required to keep 'em in the air. These planes weren't manufactured to Rolls Royce standards, rather they were churned out as fast as possible - but with as much quality as possible to meet wartime demands. By that I DON'T mean to demean any of the factories and workers, rather I know that they (often women) were doing the very best possible, but they were "under the gun" so to speak. We, the folks who came later, must remember how much work had to go into these beasts, but they were essentially "throw-away" products which had to be A) better than anything the enemy had or tried to, b) GET THE CREW HOME or a close as possible, and C) they DID make them very solidly and with as much quality that they possibly could or we simply would not have SO MANY different planes STILL FLYING today! (But, as I know YOU know, it takes an Armoury full of ca$h to keep 'em in good shape!)

Texas Lawdog · January 23, 2012, 05:21:07 PM

The maintence crew for the A-26 will be going to Breckenridge this week to finish repairs and ready the plane for it's flight back to Fort Worth next weekend. I plan on being in attendance when she does arrive.

Leo Tanner · January 24, 2012, 03:55:32 PM

Reminds me my Gramps worked for Northrop before and after the war. They gave out special pins for the guys that built craft with ZERO DEFECTS. I still have some put away along with the mechanics patches. From what I was told getting a ZD pin was a big deal.