Aircraft

[pony express]

Wow, that's quite a group! There's a smaller group from around Kansas City that flies replica WW! planes, but most are 3/4 or 7/8 scale....most of those appear to be full scale with lots of original engines.

[Arcey]

Ain't sure which one it was. Looked in it 'n the pilot's seat was a board. Airspeed indicator was a pointer onna scale 'n hadda paddle on it. T'was hangin' under the high wing off ta the left. Air pushed the paddle back, that moved the pointer. Asked the docent how it was calibrated 'n he said, 'hairdryer.'

If I hadda get in one of 'em I'd go ta the WWII stuff. The WWI guys had more nerve'n I was born with.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

WW I aircraft were the infancy of flight. But, the developements during the conflict advanced aviation immensely in  the short(?) duration of time

Those planes in the post were interesting to say the least

[Texas Lawdog]

WW1 pilots were braver than I. You do a lot of wild stuff when you are young.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Boy, those New Zealanders sure have good taste about flying and restoring old Birds!  (I realize that most were probably new builds, but ... you know!)  I didn't realize that ANY Fokker D-8s were flying!

Awesome!

As to what my favorite era was, I would have to limit it to the 1903-present time frame!


Yes, those old kite-fliers had nerve of steel, and I don't consider myself any braver than the next guy stuck in my foxhole, but I'd take a flight in one of those planes in a heartbeat!!!!!  And if that was my time to go, I'd thank the Good Lord for it.

"High Flight"

  Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
  And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
  Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
  of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
  You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
  High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
  I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
  My eager craft through footless halls of air....

  Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
  I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
  Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
  The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
  - Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.


This is probably known to all of us regulars on this forum, but if not, it was written by the late John Gillespie Magee, Jr. an American who was raised in China & Britain and who flew Spitfires during the Battle Of Britain era.  He died at age 19 in a mid-air collision before he actually saw combat, but this poem speaks to me personally and to many pilots.  You can read more about him in this Wikipedia page:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gillespie_Magee,_Jr.

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, I am glad to see that you are warm and breathing, My Brother. It sounds like INdy has been snowed in a lot. Did you see my post on the P-61 restoration by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading Pa.?

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Wonder where they found it?

[Texas Lawdog]

Borneo!

[litl rooster]

Jeffi has been here?


Regret I never took the ride in Virginia at the Flying circus before I left there. in there open cockpit Bi-'s

[Major E A Sterner]

The Old Rhinebeck aerodrome has flights available Here's the link...

http://oldrhinebeck.org/ORA/biplane-rides/

[litl rooster]

The Old Rhinebeck aerodrome has flights available Here's the link...

http://oldrhinebeck.org/ORA/biplane-rides/

Wow nice collection

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Litl Rooster, I've had the pleasure of a 2 day visit to Old Rheinbeck and it is awesome.  I'm sure it's even grander than when I was there in the mid 1970s.  Cole Palen (who owned & operated it until his death) was still flying and it is one ofg the greatest thrills of my life.

Litl Jimmy, yes ... I saw your post about the P-61.  They were very advanced aircraft and it's a shame that more don't "live on."  Like all of the WWII craft, they are very expen$ive to restore and operate and the P-61 with double the fuel required ... well, I wish them the best of luck!  It's too bad more folks won't pitch in to save some historical objects (and places) but they'll plunk down Lot$-O-Ca$h to pay some former gang member to play basket ball, or other "stars" who get those multi-gazillion dollar contracts.  There sure are some misplaced priorities these days.

[Texas Lawdog]

Are you attending the NCOWS convention?

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Are you attending the NCOWS convention?

That's the plan, Pard.  However, Dart & I were going to travel together and then room together at the Convention  .  However, he has had something family related come up and can not go.  I can't drive by myself that distance.  If I can find someone to share the ride, I thing I could swing it, perhaps we could room together ... but the ride part is the deciding factor.

We will see what we will see.

(By the way, Litl' Jimmy, look on the Masonic area for a post I will be writing after I get off here.  It's about the honor I had this past weekend "raising" my Son into the fellowship of Free & Accepted Masons.)

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, I had gotten a post from Dave, telling me about it. I know how proud you were. I got a room at the Best Western, just down the road from the Ramada. You are welcome to bunk with me. I have a king size room reserved, but I should be able to change it to two beds. Let me know. We had leftover pot roast for supper.

[Texas Lawdog]

I got a PM from the Vintage Flight Museum. The Cavanaugh Museum of Flight is expanding their facility and need the hangar space occupied by "FIFI" and "Diamond Lil". The B29/B24 Squadron contacted the Vintage Flight Museum to arrange hangar space for the 2 aircraft for a couple of years or more. The folks at VFM agreed to house the 2 aircraft.  The VFM hangar is in fact a B-29 hangar. The B-24 will arrive first, and is due for its Annual.  I am extremely excited as well as the folks at the VFM about the two planes coming to Fort Worth.  When a new location for the CAF HQ is chosen,  new hangars will be constructed for both aircraft, and they will be t the new HQ location.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Read an article in today's Rep that there's a B-17 being put together in Urbana,Ohio, which is in the Dayton area. This one is shooting at being flight certified,too Still in polished aluminum in the pic that was shown, but there's already nose art on it. IIRC, called Champaign Girl. Using scrounged parts,used parts, and in some cases,making new ones from blueprints out of the Smithsonian

[Texas Lawdog]

I read that as well. I subscribe to a B-17 Blog and it was mentioned.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Wonder which model they're doing? Hopefully not another G

[Texas Lawdog]

Any model will be fine, just having another B-17 to attend air shows and for people to enjoy the greatest bomber of all time.