Went to a fly in/cruise in this week end. Marion Airport, Marion Indiana. Never been to an event that mixed old cars and old planes before. On the other hand, we were there for a really good reason. My long time buddy RICHIE got the devastating news last spring that he has bad ass Cancer. He's doing amazingly well. One of his all time favorite old movies is CASABLANCA, you know, the one with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman and the "last flight out" airplane, a DC3. There was a DC3 that was going to be at that show and on Saturday, the day of the show, they were taking people up for rides on that plane. BUCKET LIST #1!!! Richie was finally going to be able to get a ride on a DC3!! We (we, being Richie and his wife Maureen and buddy Ron and his wife Pat and myself and my wife Harlene) went down to Marion on Friday night to stay over night. See the planes and go out for dinner. Early start on Saturday, flights were first come first served. On Friday there were quite a few very neat old planes already there, including the DC3 and a 1929 open cockpit Biplane (it was converted to fly 2 passengers side by side in the front seat) that was also giving rides. There's a lot of "back story" about getting the rides on Friday, the crew and how they treated Richie (and ALL of us) but we all went up for a 15 minute ride in a DC3!!! The plane was in amazingly good condition, the ride was flawless and comfortable, EVERYONE was so accommodating to all of us---It was a truly wonderful and--- well,--- emotional experience. We came out to the REAL fly in/cruise in show early Saturday morning. The pancake and sausage breakfast started before 7am and was set up in a giant hanger that was as first class as the rest of the event. From the early start a constant number of private planes, mostly 50's and 60's vintage and more than a few WW2 and Korean era piston Military planes landed and were lined up for folks to see. And of course a couple of hundred vintage cars, hot Rods, Muscle cars and a even a custom or 2 in the mix. It was normal to see a really cool vintage plane with a vintage car or specialty car at each wing tip. As for me, I still had my eye on the 1929 biplane taking off and landing and buzzing around over the country side and the airport. Around 11:00, I told my wife I was going to go for a ride. "Going up in the barn stormer are you?" she says "Yup, you mind?" She just kissed me on my cheek and said "Ok Honey, just be safe" Got in line, paid my money, signed the no-fault contract, waited my turn----and then put on the canvas flying helmet, the vintage flying goggles and climbed into the cockpit. Buckled up and 100ft. later we are in the air----Yikes----It was a LOT different than the DC3 flight. Lotsa wind, both prop wash and airspeed---Lotsa noise, both radial engine noise and air speed noise, And a WHOLE bunch of adrenaline!!!! We climbed to probably 1500/2000 feet and started banking over to swing south and added power and continued to bank over---- WOW---- what a rush----what a view!!! I'm not to sure the guy I shared the cockpit with was wild about the steep banks and the tug on the wide seat belt as I was or if he felt as at ease in a rickety, shaking, vibrating airplane that was built in 1929!! I think he was a civilian who didn't have way over 50 years experience in one kind of Hot Rod or another. After about 10/12 minutes of 80 to 100 mph banks turns and straight line travel, we started lining up for the flight down to the run way. Pilot bought the plane in perfectly, 100 feet later we turn an start to taxi in for the next crews go round. Would I do that again----OH HELL YES!!!! Bill Rinaldi
As usual I can't get pictures to print, this time I can't even get them to transfer from my cell phone to the computer. Yea, Richie really did enjoy the ride, it had been a dream of his for a long time. He missed out on an opportunity at Kalamazoo Mi. a few years ago and didn't think the chance would come around again. It did. A word or two about the DC3 we rode on. The big logo on the fuselage said "Chandler Field Express". It is polished aluminum and a very good looking airplane. The owner (and pilot) said it was built in 1939 and was built as an airliner for Braniff Airlines and was used as commercial air lines passenger plane all through WW2. It was high end luxury plane from the get go. During it's restorations (more than one) it was always treated as such. The passenger area walls have always been insulated and covered in nice vinyl type material. The seats were original and nicely upholstered, the floors had rug type material on them. The plane was amazingly quiet and rattle free, there was some engine vibration through the plane, especially at take off but sure didn't feel excessive to me. I was truly impressed impressed with a plane I expected to be more rustic with more of white knuckled ride. That sure didn't happen, our wives were even commenting on how "nice" plane was and how "smooth" the ride was. Ron, who was an aircraft mechanic in the Air Force was stationed in the Philippines and worked on a few, but none were "decked out" like this one. He also said he never flew in one before and was sure the ones he was involved with would never fly as nice as this one. Bill
The Jalopy Journal
