Posted 11 years ago
blunderbuss2
(199 items)
Walking up to my front door several yrs ago, I heard a sound from the past that I knew well. Leaned out from my gallery to see a B25 overhead. I couldn't believe it as I had heard nothing about them coming in! The Confederate Air Force was here. No way to describe what the sound of those stacked radials meant to me. They were here about 2 weeks & I loved the sound of them taking off every day. They honoured us with a p47 Tomahawk, P51 Mustang, F4U Corsair & an B25 (sorry I didn't poste a pic of that). (On request). We got to talk to the guys with them & it was a great time. The girl in the pictures is my assistant at the French airport here & great mechanic, especially under the instrument panels. Also an amateur boxer & photographer for the island paper and a good friend. Keep those war-birds flying! Just may list this under "dolls" as the staff always changes things anyway
What no free rides?
Love the old planes!
Hey walks. I believe all these are classified a "experimental" & can't take people on joy rides. They were doing a semi-airshow & flybys, mostly around St. Barths but based here. I'm assuming everybody has heard of the notorious strip there. St. Maarten is also on that list of dangerous airports but it really isn't so. The airline pilots have gotten in to helping the fence riders & get as close to the fence as they can for takeoff.
Well that sucks!!
Never heard of the strip at St. Barths, but just watched some nice landings there & one crash. That must scare the hell out of inexperienced pilots, coming in that steep & on a short runway, kudos to the ones that can do it. Why anyone would want to ride the fence is beyond me. A little piece of FOD could kill you, or you tumble down the beach & break all your limbs.
I don't care what Myth Busters says, I was there when a car was brown out about 20 yds out in the water. 747's used to blow the fence down regularly till they put up a real strong one. A number of cars have been flipped. An idiot in a rental stopped in front of me to experience it & of course I did too.
I fly into St. Barths sometimes & when you cross the ridge on final, you are looking UP at a crucifix on your left if your elevation is right! Full flaps & you dump them as soon as you touchdown.
These are some great planes Blunderbuss. Thanks for sharing.
Great post Blunder ! My Dad flew but me I was always afraid of flying , I lived near a Army Camp for awhile but did not know that they played war games and right over my farm . I thought we were being attacked LOL no one told me and I had only lived there a short time . But once I knew what it was all about I did enjoy watching them threw the years . And you could list this under dolls since I see one in the photo :-)))))))))
Mani, I'll be sure to tell Claudette. I'm not afraid of flying, - in planes I haven't worked on.
The last flight I took I wanted out the door with no parachute . When it landed and I was to get on a little puddle jumper I got on a bus :-) I will post my Dads first flight book when he logged his hours while he was learning and got his pilots lic # It is one of the few things I have of his I cherish . He did work on aircraft most of his life as a engineer and on a shuttle back in TX . :-) I like my feet on the ground and the wind in my face !
That's always better than having your feet in the wind & your face in the ground! Never lost one yet. So your father did what I do. Interesting. Here is a good investment tip. I just bought a 180cc Suzuki so it is a good time to take out a life insurance policy on me.
LOL ok I could use the money . Did you also work on aircraft . I had a model plane he was given of the Convair when he left company it was exact replica . When he passed away my other shipped it to me and it was all broke on arrival and it was a heavy piece I never knew how they managed to break it but it sat on his dresser for as long as I could remember and was heart broke to see it gone just like he was . He worked for Convair In 1950's California I still have his badges and then they changed name and I have that one also General Dymantics .After that to TX for missle and then here to make war weapons which he never told what it was and took that to his grave it was top security and he took that serious .
Mani, I have a French business at their field here. There are a number of U.S. registered planes & I'm the only one licensed to sign them off. It's part-time but keeps me busy, off the streets & out of trouble. We'll, usually. Retirement is boring without something to do.
Sounds like life is good for you :-) My Dad passed away at 61 he never got a chance to retire . We have much in common . I am looking at the plane he learned to fly on in his flight book a 1940's a Aeronca champ HP 65
Mani, real shame that model got broken up. I would have loved repairing it for you & it would have made a fantastic post. His badges etc. would be a great post too & we would love to see them.
I too would love to see them manikin.
Ok will do . I threw airplane out I was so upset :-(
I misplaced a post obviously but found that Allanmyo is in Burma so maybe he flew the "Hump". Ah, the ole "rag-wing" Champ. We kept one around years ago for running errands & I flew it quite a bit. On final, you are only at 35 knts with cars in town passing you. With the door & window open, it always gives the feeling that you can step out without getting hurt. In a stiff wind, you can hover. I got out of aviation many yrs ago & later retired from several other things but my license is for life & handy now.
very very nice blunderbuss!!!!
Nice aircraft. 1940's/WWII generation were very special people. The world united to defend freedom and sacrificed more than I can imagine. I really appreciate all veterans, even non US military veterans.
Amen, Trunker. Bomber losses were especially horrendous during certain stages of the 2d War to End All Wars.
Nicefice. Are you on 2 year delay ? LOL!!
Aren't we all blunderbuss. Lol
Actually Nicefice, mine varies between 1 & 3 yrs.. LOL !
"Old planes" ? What old planes ?
Nicefice. I'm going to fill you in on some of what you see in the old films. When you see ground crew turning the props. on radial engines before flight, there is a reason. Radial eng.'s are just that, & when they sit for any time, oil will settle around the rings, etc. & often fill up the heads of the bottom cyls.. Turning the prop, lets the excess oil drain out thru the exh. valves. Starting a radial with a cyl. head full of oil is a hydraulic-lock & will blow that cyl. completely off the eng. . Our expression for pilots who complain about oil under Radials, is: When you don't see oil, that means that it's out of oil! That also explains all the smoke you see for a minute as the lower cyls. burn off that excess oil & the spark plugs clear. Actually interesting, isn't it ? Now you know something that most people don't ! They don't give a shit!