Didn't you help with the nose art on Ol' 927? I got to check her out a few days ago at the CAF Museum in Midland. The collection of nose art they have in their gallery there is awesome! Here are two quick shots from my visit. - Matt
Yep. Here's the story... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=182628 The nose art gallery was a religious experience for me. C-46? Got pics? The CAF has Tinker Belle for sale. It's a shame, but FiFi's engines are expensive and none of the squadrons want the 'Belle.
My ride in the 909 B-17 was an experience of a lifetime. My dad ,who was 19 at the time, along with his crew, picked up a new one at the factory and flew it to England and flew 25 missions over Germany. After returning to the US he signed up for training in the B-29 and ended up flying out of Guam bombing Japan to the wars end. It was quite uncommon for fliers to take part in both theaters of war. After retuning home after the war he was home for a short period and realized flying was what he was meant to do and reinlisted. he flew B-29's for a short period after re-entering the service but went on to being an aircraft commander on a B-47 and later on in B-52's which he flew until his retirement after returning from bombing Viet Nam once again being stationed on Guam. He passed away 4 years ago, a patriot to the end. I sure miss him. Frank
nothing sounds as good as a radial engine, those things sound like a top fuelie at idle. i hope i can get a chance to ride in one someday.
Django, there are some here I have some but I don't know where they are right now. Yes I work for them. I have to fly on company aircraft occasionally to get from one station to another, nothing quite like the view out the front of the Curtiss.
We had more, Dumbo and Miad In Japan are cargo haulers, Salmonella was a tanker, till she didn't quite clear a mountain. Everts Air fuel has several more though, to my knowlege they have the last 'Super' C-46 flying (no I know I don't have pics of it). Yes one division of the company I work for hauls fuel with airplanes. Screwy aint it?
About 25 years ago I was riding my motorcycle out around Mansfield, TX, just out in the country. The the air started to VIBERATE. I looked up, and FIFI was about (it least it looked like it) 50 feet above me. Way cool, I still smile about it. Got to ride in the Burnet T-6 last year for 125.00. Best money my wife ever spent.
My dad was draft defered to build B-29 engines at Emery Riddle in Miami during WW2 with an all woman crew of 4. Said it would have been easier to go to war then keep a 4 woman crew happy
FAB32 that was a great story I chose to ride in the B25 over the B17 and B24 mostly on the recommendation of some guy's that flew in all three over a hundred times each. The other thing I liked about the B25 it is quite a bit smaller and more like a Hot Rod than the other two. Another great experiance with Radials is the Air Races. I have attended the Reno Air Races in the past and it is inspirational to say the least. For not a lot of money you can camp right next to the run way. If you haven't done that it is well worth the time and few bucks I spent full week there and it was nothing but Goose bump raising sounds and awesome sites and great people. An experiance I would recommend to any one especially if your stuck or need some inspiration.
I won't post all of them, but I have a ton of pics from this morning. I flew on Nine-0-Nine. The B-24 that went up had a total hydraulic failure in flight. They lost a hydraulic line and some of the people on the flight got covered in hyd. fluid. Woops! I overheard that they had to crank the gears down on that flight. Hopefully they get it fixed quickly. - Matt
DAAYYYUUUUMMMMM! Sorry to hear about the B-24 having mechanical dificulties. Gotta love military redundant systems tho. Hell, I would have paid extra to crank the gear down. Glad you got to ride something. Did they have the navigator's staion roof open? They did when it was here. Bitchin view back over the tail. I wasn't bright enough to bring glasses or goggles to take one looking forward (it's a might breezy out there).
On the recieving end of one of those Birds, In the Forest Service, I used to look up and see a few thousand pounds of pink gorilla snot come flyin at me outta the bomb bays of a B-17 a few hundred feet overhead..They would look for our yellow shirts and orange hardhats and use us to line up their drop..Later in jump school we would run out the back of C-124 Flying Boxcars..Later on in the 80s my Dad and I were all over the C.A.F. had a hand in building the Yellow Rose B-25 which incidently came from the Forest Service as a retired Southern fire ant Bomber..I feel very priviledged to have worked on, flown in, met those men and heard their stories..It will turn a guy around and make you appreciate where we've been, what we've got and what it took to get here..Lest We Forget..Keep Em Flyin...
Yeah, looking forward at 160mph without goggles doesn't last long! As for the B-24, they took the passengers off and brought them back by van. Some seemed indifferent... some seemed annoyed. I'm with you though. If I'm not gonna die, that's just a kick ass story to tell! I would have cranked those wheels down with you! - Matt
been too long since i posted last, looking on here for pictures of the B-25 tondelayo and saw this thread. man, i hope they get that 24 going soon, what a shame. i saw memphis belle when i was a kid, every time i walk through a 17 i look at the crank hole. i'da cranked like a sumbitch.
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