Aircraft

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Some of the EAA planes are flying over the house.

Slim

CoOL!

It IS about that time of year.  Oshkosh is on my Bucket List.

[Texas Lawdog]

I wish that I had the money to travel around with the CAF aircraft. I can only do it locally.

[Silver Creek Slim]

CoOL!

It IS about that time of year.  Oshkosh is on my Bucket List.

You are very welcome to stay here.

My parents went to EAA on Friday. They had a good time after the sticker shock wore off. $41 per person.  It was Veteran's day so Dad got $10 off. They said Fifi was there.

Slim

[Texas Lawdog]

Slim,  "FIFI" is always a featured aircraft at Oskosh because it is the only flying B-29 in existence. I get daily e-mails from the squadron because I am a member of the B-29/B-24 squadron. I am hoping to go up there with the squadron next year.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

You are very welcome to stay here.

My parents went to EAA on Friday. They had a good time after the sticker shock wore off. $41 per person.   It was Veteran's day so Dad got $10 off. They said Fifi was there.

Slim

Thanks, pard!

Slim,  "FIFI" is always a featured aircraft at Oskosh because it is the only flying B-29 in existence. I get daily e-mails from the squadron because I am a member of the B-29/B-24 squadron. I am hoping to go up there with the squadron next year.

I didn't know what (besides being the last/ONLY B-29) Fifi was famous for.  Fifi (perhaps the actual plane or the named bird) was the Commander's aircraft that was the 1st B-29 to fly onto either the newly captured airfield on Iwo or the Marianas when the B-29s first flew onto their Pacific island homes before beginning the massive bombing campaign against Japan that culminated with Hiroshima & Nagasaki.

I saw a film clip of Fifi landing on one of the Military specials.  It was (if I remember) on the show about B-29s as part of the series titled "Great Planes."

[Texas Lawdog]

They have a special guest with them up there. They have the pilot that flew "FIFI" out of China Lake in 1971, when she was first aquired by the CAF.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

First time I saw her was in the mid '80's when she visited here

[Texas Lawdog]

Several years ago, I was sitting in Charlotte Airport with a prisoner, waiting to return to D/FW. I noticed "FIFI" come in on final approach. They landed and taxied past our terminal. The Texas flag and the CAF flags were sticking out the cockpit windows. It made me proud to be a Col. in the CAF.

[Major E A Sterner]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obcrX9K66Dw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obcrX9K66Dw</a>

[Steel Horse Bailey]

I first saw Fifi at an old Confederate Air Force show in 1976.  The Great Lakes Branch of the CAF had finally acquired a flyable warbird, one of the old C-45s, which is a Twin Beech (IF I remember right) used as a spotter and a twin engine trainer, as well as a liaison aircraft.  The whole rest of the CAF flew up here to Indiana to celebrate, AND to celebrate the Bi-Centennial.  Fifi was the star of the show.  I didn't get to go very close to her, but I was right under the end of the runway when she took off and circled several times.  I had to leave so I wasn't able to see her land but it was a glorious sight.  If I remember, it was one of the 1st fly-ins she'd attended after getting certified for flight and display.

What a magnificent aircraft!

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, That sounds about right on the dates. I've been a member since 90. It was neat to have her over at Meacham while the runways at Addison were being repaired. Our hangar at Meacham is a B-29 model, and "FIFI" fit in there like a glove.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Cool!  Perhaps it is Destiny!

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, I've got some video of "FIFI" when she was over at Meacham. I shot it on my I-Phone and it's not too good. I'll show it to you the next time I see you.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Great!  I want a ride.

Of course I'd happily ride in a Stearman or a PT19, for that matter.  Or a Mustang, of course!  I don't know how, but I'd go on a crash diet if I had the opportunity to ride one of the "Hot Rods" just so I could fit in the seat!  But they are a pretty expensive 20 minutes - about $150/min. if I've heard right!

Mebbe when I win the Lottery .......

































or not 

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, Most of the rides start out at ab out $500. and go up. They are going to price the rides in the A-26 at 500, when it's ready to fly. We have three pilots in training. I didn't know, but the A-26 was the first aircraft to drop bombs in Korea, and the last aircraft to drop bombs in Korea. Next year they are going to have flybys with a B-1 at the airshows that we attend.

[Leo Tanner]

Was catching up on my back log of Popular Mechanics and came across an article in the Feb 2012 issue about the new B 52.  Turns out the old technology fit the bill to carry nukes with some upgrades.  If ya can get yer hands on a copy it's an innerestin read.

[Texas Lawdog]

Leo, The BUFF or B-52 has been around since 58 and will be in the Air Force fleet for several years to come.

[Texas Lawdog]

Our squadron adujant has an original Cessna 02 that she is restoring. She got it at Davis-Monthan a few years ago. It needs a new engine right now. She has it hangared at the Grand Prairie airport. I'm going over tomorrow to look it over and help her do some things on it. She has done quite a bit of research on it and has talked to 27 former FACs that have flown it at one time or another.

[Texas Lawdog]

I got a phone call this morning from the lady that owns the 02 Cessna. She was sick and didn't make it. I had a good breakfast at the airport cafe, so the day wasn't a total wash. We may not make 100 today. Moose is at school getting her room ready for the new year. Victoria is napping on the cool tile. I hope we get some rain this weekend.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Those O-2 Bird Dogs look like fun.

A P-51 would be MORE fun, but I might be able to afford a ride in an O-2, whereas I can barely afford to DREAM about a ride in one of the "hot" planes, including $500 A-26s.  Which I'd love to ride in, too for that matter.  The A-26 is the #4 coolest twin in my book: Mosquito, P-38, F-7F, A-26.  Not necessarily in that order.  But there are a lot of cool twins I'd love to fly.  Heck, I'd be thrilled for a check-ride in a Twin Beech, just to name one.

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, I hope to get a better look at Karen's plane next week. It's a real Warbird, just not from WW2. I will try and get some pictures of it on my I-Phone.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Great!  I assume you're meaning her O-2, right?  They began manufacture of them in 1967.  Around 532 were made for the Military (I don't know how many Cessna 337 SkyMasters were made tho'; it is the civilian version of the O-2.)  I've always thought highly of them.  It was pretty "hot" for a Cessna and was capable of 200 mph.  (That speed figure doesn't count the "Tweety-Bird" Cessna jets also used in 'Nam or the new biz-jets.  Only the prop planes.)

How is her plane painted?  Camo or gray?  (I THINK most were gray, but not all of them were.)  Either way, they're a genuine Viet Nam era Warbird, not just a 337 "dolled up" to look like one.

I look forward to the pictures.

[Leo Tanner]

This thing is just weird.

http://support.theveteranssite.com/?p=1489

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, She told me that the plane is black. It is the AF version and she got the plane from Davis-Monthan AFB. I haven't got to see the plane yet. I hope to see it next week and take a few pictures of it. She was telling me that the ones used in "Bat 21" were actually civilian models. Her plane does have a bunch of history behind it.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Cool!

The black ones are uncommon.  There were a very small number of O-2s that were used to drop leaflets and which had loudspeakers mounted on them.  They flew Psyops missions.  (Psyops = Psychological warfare)  Perhaps hers was one of them as they might have been painted black.  If so, she truly has a very "special" bird.  Doesn't really matter, it just makes it even more interesting!