Old Planes

[evenkeel]

This weekend I accompanied my parents to the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Fla.. The 'rents were in town for a visit, my dads been talking about this for decades and he finally decided to man up and do it. Sixteen hour drive up and back. This was a big deal for my father as he trained as a Navy Fighter pilot in Pensacola. The trip was great, spectacular collection of old war birds. A bonus, the museum had a mock up of CVL-28 Cabot, the carrier my dad qualified on. And on the "deck", a F6 Hellcat, the plane my dad flew.

Couple of pics for fans of the old war birds.
That's dad looking over the Cabot mock up.

and the F6 Hellcat, Dad's under the port side wing.

Dad is 83 and still boring holes in the sky, now in a Piper Cub or a Cessna.

 

[twocorgis]

This weekend I accompanied my parents to the Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Fla.. The 'rents were in town for a visit, my dads been talking about this for decades and he finally decided to man up and do it. Sixteen hour drive up and back. This was a big deal for my father as he trained as a Navy Fighter pilot in Pensacola. The trip was great, spectacular collection of old war birds. A bonus, the museum had a mock up of CVL-28 Cabot, the carrier my dad qualified on. And on the "deck", a F6 Hellcat, the plane my dad flew.

Couple of pics for fans of the old war birds.
That's dad looking over the Cabot mock up.

and the F6 Hellcat, Dad's under the port side wing.

Dad is 83 and still boring holes in the sky, now in a Piper Cub or a Cessna.

Good for you and your dad J! 83 and still flying? God bless him!

 

[Thunderface]

Your Dad flew a Hellcat! How cool is that.

 

[zulu]

Awesome! Carrier pilots are the best, hands down, in my experience.

 

[adorshki]

Awesome! Carrier pilots are the best, hands down, in my experience.

That's how I heard it too.
I mean c'mon, it's moving, and bobbing up and down, in the dark? :shock: :lol:

 

[dapmdave]

Awesome! Carrier pilots are the best, hands down, in my experience.

That's how I heard it too.
I mean c'mon, it's moving, and bobbing up and down, in the dark? :shock: :lol:

I spent many hours watching carrier flight ops in the 70s. No doubt about it - naval aviators are the best.

Dave

 

[AlohaJoe]

That's so cool... I was recently at the Boeing Museum, wishing I could share it with my Dad. Good for both of you!

 

[West R Lee]

My father flew the SBD Dauntless off of Essex class carriers. The museum at Pensacola is pretty cool and well worth a visit.

West

 

[dreadnut]

Hats off to your dad, Tailhookers are the best!

Spent the early 70's watching flight ops on the deck of CVA-61 (USS Ranger.) F-4 Phantoms, A-4's, A6 Intruders, E2C Hawkeyes, RA-5 Vigilantes...

 

[West R Lee]

Hats off to your dad, Tailhookers are the best!

Spent the early 70's watching flight ops on the deck of CVA-61 (USS Ranger.) F-4 Phantoms, A-4's, A6 Intruders, E2C Hawkeyes, RA-5 Vigilantes...

For many years, each year, we got to Barksdale Air Base for the 2 day annual air show. The show generally alternates between the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels as their main attraction. When my oldest son was about 10, and about 2 years after his grandfather died, I took the boys and that day, Bryan wore my dad's blue and gold leuy's cap with his bars and his wings pinned to the crown.

As always, we watched the show in total awe and after the show, Bryan told me he wanted to get the Angel's autograph. This particular year, Saturday's show had rained out and the announcer mentioned that there were over 200,000 people in attendance that Sunday. I balked looking down the tarmac at the people, but my son finally shamed me into making a futile attempt through a sea of people.

We finally got to the center stage area and managed to get about 30 feet from the fence, there standing the Blue Angel's in their Angel's uniforms. Finally one of the Angel's motioned for us to come forward and asked Bryan where he got his cap. With tears in his his Bryan told him it was his grandfather's and that he had died. The officer asked if dad had been a Naval aviator and Bryan said..."Yes sir, papa was a carrier pilot!" Bryan walked away with the autoghraph of ALL of the Blue Angels that day.

We don't miss the Blue Angels Marc, Navy aviators have a special place in our home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fv ... Z9NyM&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o0zmafx ... re=related

Sometimes you have to change pants after the show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZZc0sSp ... re=related


West

 

[Default]

If you are ever in Philly, stop by the air museum in Willow Grove. They have one of the few ME 262's left.

 

[evenkeel]

If you are ever in Philly, stop by the air museum in Willow Grove. They have one of the few ME 262's left.

Thanks for all the good words. Much to my surprise they have a 262 on display. For the guys flying P51's in Europe that must have been one scary damn plane.

 

[mad dog]

Some of these old guys have a ton of talent. My flight instructor (now gives me biennial filght reviews) is in his early 80s, one of the sharpest pilots - sharpest people - I've ever encountered. Thinking also of a guy in his 90s who often flew warbirds at Sussex County airport in NJ. He had to be WWII military. I'll be lucky if I can get in and out of a chair when I'm that age. This guy would hop up into that massive thing and make it do tricks. Astounding.

MD

 

[Thunderface]

Years ago, I interviewed WWII ace Gabby Gabreski and Charles Anderson, who in 1929 became the first black licensed pilot in United States, for stories previewing an air show in St. Paul. Both had a million stories to tell, as you can imagine. For example, in 1940, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was visiting a hospital in the Tuskegee, Alabama area, when she heard that black pilots were flying airplanes in the area. She introduced herself to Anderson, and against the advice of her security people, went up with him.

About two weeks later, Anderson said, the U.S. government came out with an announcement that they were conducting an experimental investigation to see if blacks could really fly airplanes.

 

[Thunderface]

Old planes also lend themselves well to guitar paint schemes...

 

[6L6]

Great guitars, great planes!

GO AIR FORCE!!!!!!!


Bill
LTC, USAF (ret.)

 

[Dr Izza Plumber]

Evenkeel....Your Dad must've served just after WWII?
Post WWII, the F6F was the Navy's fighter/trainer aircraft, because F8F Bearcats and Skyraiders were intro'd into A/C carrier operations.
My Dad served on Destroyers (Pacific Theater) during WWII, and He was only 17yrs old in 1945, and would be 85 today if still living.

Your Dad must've had a great time with that 2000 HP Wasp up front in the F6F; I wonder if He also flew the F8F as well?
The F8F carrier plane was a bit smaller, lighter, and faster than the F6F.

Thx for posting the images....very kewl!

 

[evenkeel]

Evenkeel....Your Dad must've served just after WWII?
Post WWII, the F6F was the Navy's fighter/trainer aircraft, because F8F Bearcats and Skyraiders were intro'd into A/C carrier operations.
My Dad served on Destroyers (Pacific Theater) during WWII, and He was only 17yrs old in 1945, and would be 85 today if still living.
Your Dad must've had a great time with that 2000 HP Wasp up front in the F6F; I wonder if He also flew the F8F as well?
The F8F carrier plane was a bit smaller, lighter, and faster than the F6F.
Thx for posting the images....very kewl!

You are exactly right. Served after WWII and got out before Korea really heated up. Started flying for TWA in 51 or 52. He never got to fly the F8, or the F4U Corsair, which still rankles him. :wink: :wink:

 

[6L6]

He never got to fly the F8, or the F4U Corsair, which still rankles him.

I can relate!

The two planes I most wanted to fly (but never got to) were the Spitfire MKIX and the F-104 Starfighter. I do have about 20 hrs or so logged in a P-51, but I wish it had been in a Spit or F-104!

Turn up the sound!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6K4iSxET6g

 

[West R Lee]

Nothing to do with old planes, but if you're into flight.......looks pretty incredible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJoMDq4A ... re=related

West