Aircraft

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, I have got a bunch of kinfolks, living and dead around there. My GG Uncle, the one that owned my real 51 Navy was killed by a jealous husband while he was plowing one day.

[Texas Lawdog]

I guess that "FIFI" is back over at Addison for a couple of days. She is scheduled to appear with Aaron Tippin at an Air Show in Rifle Colorado this coming weekend.  We've got an Invader Squadron meeting on Sat. morning. I am anxious to hear about the progress on the restoration on the A26. We're supposed to have a vote on the squadron patch design.

[Leo Tanner]

I guess that "FIFI" is back over at Addison for a couple of days. She is scheduled to appear with Aaron Tippin at an Air Show in Rifle Colorado this coming weekend.  We've got an Invader Squadron meeting on Sat. morning. I am anxious to hear about the progress on the restoration on the A26. We're supposed to have a vote on the squadron patch design.

If you would, post the patches you have in mind. 

[Texas Lawdog]

Leo, I don't have any pictures of the patches. They are the same, just a different background color. They should add the patch to our new web page when we decide on whuch one. We are supposed to vote on the choices on Sat.  The winning design should be posted in a week or so.

[Texas Lawdog]

The hangar meeting will be at 10 am Sat. morning. We're losing a tenant at the hangar this week. We are supposed to help them move their parts out. We are going to need to move the planes in the hangar, now that "FIFI" has gone back to Addison. It was neat to have her at our hangar in Fort Worth. She is always welcome.  From what I hear, the 4th of July weekend was a success in spite of the heat and the fact that there were several things going on over the weekend.

[Texas Lawdog]

It was nice and cool in our meeting room in the hangar. The majority voted to adopt the patch with the gold background. We've located a bunch of spare parts in Alberta, Canada. They have reasonable prices and they will shipp the stuff down here. The restoration outfit had a rush job for someone else. They had to stop working on the A-26 for a couple of weeks, but they are back on schedule again. It's gonna be at least another month yet. It looks now like we won't make the AirShow at Midland this year. I know that everyone in the Squadron is anxious for the plane to get here. We got our Squadron caps today. They are bright yellow. We should be easy to spot because we're the only ones with yellow caps.

[Texas Lawdog]

Folks, We now have a new web-site for the Invader Squadron, thanks to a new member who happens to be a web-site designer.  The new web-site is  invader squadron. org. You can see some pictures of the plane when it was called "Spirit of Waco".  The new webpage has the squadron patch on the homepage. I am sure we will have pictures of the plane in it's new paint scheme when it get's to our hangar.

[Four-Eyed Buck]

Noticed a post on The Wire yesterday that we've lost another Mustang. Collision at Duxford, Eng. with an A-1 Skyraider. Pilot bailed and survived, the A-1 was able to land safely with a couple feet missing from one wing...........

[Steel Horse Bailey]

This is quoted from the news section of the website:  Mustangs Mustangs  [ http://www.mustangsmustangs.com/p-51/p51.php  ]

I'll bet it was one of these, 'tho they show nothing on the website about the accident yet:

A portion of the FAF (Friedkin Air Force) is visiting Duxford for the July 2011 Flying Legends show. The two P-51s were disassembled, crated and shipped over to the UK, then un-crated and re-assembled and will be flown in the show. As of July 1, Steve, John and Stevo Hinton had both of them on their gear and will be busy to get them 100% airworthy. Friedkin is not shy to share his warbirds as he has done this before. Duxford Legends is definitely on the bucket list.

I'm happy that both pilots are alive.  As to the A1, after losing a couple feet of wing yet STILL getting back to the ground makes ya realize what a beast of an aircraft they really were.  Big, strong, powerful beasts!  And still going strong after half a century ... and then some!  The Douglas Aircraft Co. would be proud!!!   It'll take a licking and keep on ticking!     Thanks, Timex

[Texas Lawdog]

Thank goodness that the pilots were safe. Mustangs are still out there for sale. The bombers are the scarce ones. We have been lucky to find all the parts we have needed for the A26 restoration.

[Judge Roy Bean]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2013821/Nose-dive-Pilot-lands-World-War-One-Fokker-plane-propellor-gust-wind-scuppers-display.html

[litl rooster]

There's a you tube video but the camera turns away at the impact point

[Texas Lawdog]

The folks over at Addison are getting "FIFI" ready for a trip up to Kansas City this week for another tour. Hopefully they will have Ol'927 ready for the Air show in Midland in October. The A26 won't be ready either.

[Arcey]

Took a ride out to Pungo. Mainly to get the hell out of the house 'n enjoy the deep freeze the station wagon can turn the front seats into.

Got a few miles from the airport 'n saw one in the air. Too far away 'n too high to tell anything other than a single engined, low wing airplane. At the airport, or museum, I found Chuckie outside with a whole bunch of what looked like tourists around 'er. Front parkin' lot was about as full as I've seen it.

Went on back to the Fighter Factory 'n stopped it the circle where they're slowly puttin' stuff out for 'nother buildin'. Had concrete sewer pipe laid out 'n a back hoe diggin'. A wonderful noise was goin' on 'n I could see about half a wing from where I was. Figgered that was it 'n when they shut it down I could see the blades slowin' to a stop.

Ennyways. I got out 'n lit one. Don't smoke in the station wagon. Old fella runs a fork lift out the Fighter Factory with a bunch ah shippin' palettes on it 'n he's headed my way. Wave at 'im when he comes past. Get back in the station wagon with the cigarette filter in my left hand so's he could see I hadn't thrown it on the road. He pulls up 'side me 'n shuts it off. Here comes the 'ya know ya ain't supposed ta be back here' speech I'm thinkin'. Nope. Exchanged 'how ya doin's' 'n comments 'bout the heat. Said it was hotter inside than was was out so he volunteered to run the fork lift so's he be in 'n out 'n creatin' a breeze for hisownself all day. Had a real nice conversation. Never said a word about me bein' there.

Young family. Late twenties maybe. Kid four or five. Nuts. It's probably a quarter mile from the main terminal ta the Fighter Factory 'n they're walkin' it........... on black top.

Left there 'n rode out ta a couple places lookin' for an eagle or two. Found a juvenile soarin' o'er a field by Hell's Point golf course. Right where my youngest's sig/o took a cell phone picture of an adult perched inna dead tree last Friday. Amazin' ta watch 'em. They can stay up so long 'n never flap a wing. Just soarin' in circles 'n they don't wobble like the vultures do.

Apart from that, hit a small farm stand 'n picked up a couple cantaloupes for the fat lady. Nice firm ones. Sign said they were Carolina grown. See if she knows the difference. She ought to. I think the woman would try'n live off 'em if she thought she could get away with it.

Nice ride.

[Texas Lawdog]

Arcey, It was good hear that "Chuckie" is doing okay at her new home. The Moose loves those cantalopes as well. She bought a couple of nice ones at the Farmer's Market here in town last Sun. They were really good. Victoria has developed a taste for them too. I enjoy them for breakfast and with fresh vegetables.

[Texas Lawdog]

They flew "FIFI" up to Oshkosh for the big EAA Flyin. SHe will be the centerpiece of their Air Show. Aaron Tippin is putting on a concert up there as well. Maybe next year if Ol' 927 is going, I may try to hitch a ride with them up there. We should have great Air Show at The Lancaster Airport(south of Dallas) on the Labor Day weekend.  We will also have our annual AirSho in Midland in Oct. I'm hoping that the weather will be cooler in Sept and Oct.

[Russ T Chambers]

TLD
Just saw on the AOPA website that FIFI had some interesting company at the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh on Friday.  She was parted tail to tail with the latest from Boeing.  The 787 Dreamliner.  It’s the largest ever experimental aircraft at Oshkosh (being uncertified as yet, places it in the experimental category).

http://www.aopa.org/oshkosh/2011/news/110729boeings-dreamliner-fifi-unite.html

[Texas Lawdog]

I saw a picture of "FIFI" flying, surrounded by 4 P-51 Mustangs. I sure would like to go to Oskosh for the EAA Air Show sometime.  It was neat to have "FIFI" at our hangar in Fort Worth this summer. Our A-26 restoration will hopefully completed by the end of August.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Cool!

[Texas Lawdog]

They have posted several pictures of "FIFI" on the EAA website. You can see my Texas Flag in one of the telephoto shots. I hope the folks up there from Texas got some relief from the heat. They will be coming back to higher temps. than when they left.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Anyone going to EAA can stay at my place. Only 45 min drive.

Slim

[Texas Lawdog]

Slim, If I come up there, I will probably ride in one of the bombers or fly commercially. It's too far for me to drive. Thanks for the invite.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Ride in a bomber for me!

Today I heard a large plane fly overhead, but missed seeing it.  I heard it a 2nd time and saw a B-24 at about 1500 ft passing over me to the South.  Those 4 big radials are a VERY cool thing to hear!  I wish 'em Godspeed wherever they go.

[Texas Lawdog]

SHB, There's not too B24's still flyin'. The Collings foundation has one and the CAF has one. Our B24 has been down for repairs, so I don't know whether it made the trip to Oskosh. I'm sure that B24 you saw was coming from Oskosh.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Could be it circled the airport once after takeoff, then passed over again and that's how/when I saw it.  The 2 passes over my house were less than 10 minutes apart.  Plenty of time for a "go around."