Aircraft

[Arcey]

It looked as if they were cleaning and/or rearranging things on the Navy side.











They may have Chuckie in the back. They won't let you back there without an escort now. I could see the new hangar going up though.

The camera's a recent acquisition for Eagle season. It's small enough to put in my shirt pocket and cheap enough I can leave it in the glove box without worrying about it. Susie told me to use hers. It's much nicer, bigger and a bunch more expensive. If I break it I'll never hear the end of it.

The photo of the Skyraider and Corsair side by side has been severely cropped with the software that came with the camera. I don't think the quality suffered too badly. The Corsair alone is getting grainy on this monitor.

[Texas Lawdog]

Arcey, You take great pictures, My friend. I really enjoyed seeing them. They've got some planes at the Museum that the CAF doesn't have. You are fortunate to have such a fine facility so close to you.

[Arcey]

When Tom and I went through we were told several of them were on loan in exchange for maintenance and storage. I guess that brings in good stuff.

I'm happy you liked images. Thought about you when I shot them. Thanks.

[Texas Lawdog]

We have a logt of work ahead on the A-26 assigned to us. Hopefully it will be finished by summertime, so we can charge for rides.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Arcey, GREAT pics!  Thanks for posting!!!!!

On my 22" confuser monitor, I was just seeing a little "grain," but not bad at all - at least it didn't detract like pictures SOME post.  (NO - I'm NOT referring to anyone here ...)  All-in-all; OUT-frikken-standing!  I LOVE the early, 3 blade prop Corsairs.  The PBY is a classic and theirs is painted up real pretty!  (Considering it ain't a particularly "pretty" airplane, that is!)

Of course ... I love 'em ALL!  That Dragon is super!

Lil' Jimmy, I'd sure wait in line for a ride in that A-26! I could die happy, then!  


PS - Do I need to use more exclamation marks?  !!!    

 

 

 

[Texas Lawdog]

It's going to be too cold around here this weekend to do much work outside on the A-26. The weather folks are forcasting some snow for us on Sunday.

[Arcey]

Thanks, SHB. That's the first time I've had something worth playing with the camera over. The airplanes usually aren't outside except for the Junkers trimotor. The thing can be seen in a couple shots in the background. Yellow cowlings on the engines and the yellow wing tip behind the Corsair.

I'm tickled Tex and yourself enjoyed the experiment.

[Texas Lawdog]

I developed a love for Warbirds as a kid. My Dad was in the Army Air Corps during WW2. He was going through pilot training when Pearl Harbor was attacked. I have been able to visit most of the Military Aircraft museums in the US. I have been a member of the CAF for almost 20 years.  I hope I can visit the Museum near Arcey's place and the Smithsonian Air Museum some day.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Tex,  I've only been to a few.  The Smith' and Wright-Patt are both awesome.  The Deutscher Museum in Munich (Germany) has a great aviation department, too.

Arcey, you mentioned the Junkers JU-52 tri-motor, or as it was often referred to:  Tante Ju  (The "J" is pronounced like a "Y") - Which translates to "Aunt Ju" (pronounced You.)  During one of my many trips to the main airport in Frankfort, (Rhein Main Flughafen) Germany I heard a different engine sound and looked up to see a beautiful white JU-52 with a red cross on its tail coming in over my head.  The red cross on white is the fleet colors for SwissAir, and they were having some kind of Anniversary in Germany.  It was cool to see the old bird coming in ... and then I spied another one further back in the pattern!  I was doubly excited!
*
*
*
*
*
*
Until I saw a third  JU-52!  All were painted the same and they were coming in one after another after another!  It was awesome!  I've seen a couple more flying since then, but to see three in a row, just doesn't happen to everyone every day!!!

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Nice pics, Arcey. I'll have to put that one on my bucket list..........

[Texas Lawdog]

The Ju 52 was built originally as a civilian passenger aircraft because of the restrictions put upon Germany at the end of WW1. It was utilized by the military as a transport for supplies as well as troops.  The CAF had a Ju 52 at one time. It was attached to the Arizona Wing at Thunderbird Field.

[Arcey]

Definitely call me if you decide to go there, Buck. An escort helps. It's not in the middle of nowhere but it's on the edge.

[litl rooster]

. It's not in the middle of nowhere but it's on the edge.

Buck that's no joke...

Great pic's Arcey

[Texas Lawdog]

Arcey's new camera takes great pictures of Warbirds, I bet it will take great pictures of eagles.

[Leo Tanner]

Prolly said it bafore, but the Corsair was my Dad's favorite and the first model we built tagether way back when.  He taught me the difference tween the Navy ones and the Marine ones at an early age.  His football coach flew one in the war and said the engine was so powerful that only certain pilots could handle it and they had to be tested first for upper body strength.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

That engine & prop combination put out LOTS of torque!

If I remember kee-recktly, the powerplant & prop were the same as the B-29.  2,800 + HP

The F4U didn't get certified for carrier duty right away.  It took the late-war carriers to be able to handle the Hot Rod F4U series!  I think the Marines had them in quantity before most of the Airdales did - the 1st Navy Corsairs were only OKed for the few Naval land bases.  And they were pretty much side-by-side with the Marine F4Us.  I think it was not until mid-to-late '44 that the carriers routinely had them.  One of the primary problems was take-off speed, and the British catapults were adapted for American use primarily so the Navy could use Corsairs.  My Dad was part of their testing (the cats), but he never flew an F4U ... he said he got to taxi one once, but never got certified to fly them.

[Texas Lawdog]

The Corsair was built by Vought aviation in Grand Prairie, Tx.  They also built the Crusader. Vought merged with Lockeed. They still have offices and a plant in in Grand Prairie. It is one of the biggest employers in GP.

[Arcey]

Hope I get some eagle shots. Right now I'd settle for seeing an egg on the webcam. The nest was a big empty last night.

Ran into a guy yesterday afternoon. He told me he was at the museum a couple weeks ago and they had Chuckie in the Fighter Factory.

When I ride out next I'm going to try to get some shots of the Junkers.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

I believe the problem with the F4U was the landing gear for the navy. Believe they had to make some changes/beef it up. Maybe deck clearance for the prop. They really didn't appear on carriers until late '44, or early '45

[Texas Lawdog]

Carrier landings were hard on the landing gears of the carrier based aircraft. The Corsair was superior to anything the Japs had faced, except maybe the Hellcat. I've got a coffeetable book of prints of Warbirds in action. One of these prints shows 4 Corsairs of the famous "Black Sheep" squadron chasing Zeros across the sky. One of these Corsair's has "Martha" painted on the nose. Ed "Shifty" Shefflet's wife was named Martha. I feel like this print is Ed's Corsair. I had the pleasure of knowing Martha. Her daughter, Evelyn, is a friend of the Moose. I never got to meet Ed and I bought the book after Martha had passed away. I am satisifed that the plane in the print is Ed's.  Ed was a HS and College wrestler and he broke "Pappy" Boyington's leg one night in the O club.  Ed retired as a full Colonel in the Marines. Evelyn told me that a frequent visitor to her house as a child was another Of Ed's Marine Corps buddies.  She knew him as "Tex". I later found at that "Tex" was in fact Bill Jordan.  Martha gave me an autographed copy of "No Second Place Winner". I never got to meet Bill and Evelyn never knew how famous Bill was.

[John Frederick Bell]

Gentlemen,

Got a long-range notice from a friend today that from March 19-21 (Monday-Wednesday) there will be a B-24 and a P-51 camped out at TSTC Airport in Waco.  No word yet on which organization owns the aircraft, but I intend to be out there at least one of those days getting pictures. 

Might be worth a look if you're in the neighborhood with some time to kill. 

[Texas Lawdog]

That sounds like it might be "Ol 927" of the B29/B24 Squadron of the CAF and the p-51 may be "Gunfighter" also of the CAF. They tour together. I am a member of the B29/B24 Squadron and have been a member of the CAF for almost 20 years.  "Ol 927 is the oldest B24 in existence and the only B model left.  It was built in January, 1941.

[Texas Lawdog]

I think I have an answer to Arcey's question "Where's Chuckie"? "Chuckie is at the Fighter Factory for it's annual check. It has all it's panels removed for inspection, lubrication, and repairs if necessary. They will spend over a 1,000 hours on "Chuckie" before she is ready for its test flight in the spring. The #3 engine is being replaced after it was overhauled, which has taken over 5 months. The FF is open to the public and it's admission is included in the cost of visiting the Museum.

[Arcey]

Thought that was it after talking to Jim.

I have to respect the sign they put up and stay away from the back, from the Fighter Factory. They put a gate up at the entrance last year just before the “Warbirds Over The Beach” event. It's always open unless they have something scheduled. I can go in now. I've been to the gift shop a couple times without paying admission. I wouldn't want the management to close the gate and put a volunteer in a shack charging people to drive to the parking lot. That's where I was when I took the shots last week. Many times when I stop in I'm in the area looking for birds or hitting the farm stands.

[Texas Lawdog]

I get a newsletter from the Museum each month because of my Museum membership.